By Navaraj Kattel, Biratnagar/Bishnu Prasad Pokharel, Jhapa, Aug. 28: Two COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) succumbed to the infection Friday morning.

The deceased are a male aged 83 of Kamal Rural Municipality-3 in Jhapa district and a female aged 56 of Belbari Municipality-5 in Morang district.

Dr. Dinesh Sapkota, spokesperson of the BPKIHS informed that the octogenarian man of Jhapa passed away at 3:45 am while the Morang's woman breathed her last at 3:14 am on Friday morning.

The man from Jhapa was admitted to B and C Teaching Hospital, Damak, after he suffered from coughing, breathing difficulties and fever and he had tested positive for COVID-19 on  August 19. And on the same day he was brought to the BPKIHS for treatment.

The man was also a chronic patient of kidney, high blood pressure and diabetes, according to spokesperson Dr. Sapkota.

Similarly, the woman from Belbari-5 Morang was referred to the BPKIHS from Koshi Hospital, Biratnagar, where she was admitted after she felt difficulties in breathing along with fever. She had tested positive for COVID-19 on August 25 and then brought to the BPKIHS.

With these two, COVID-19 death toll in Province 1 has reached 26.