Kathmandu, Feb. 8: Although the overall fatality rate due to COVID-19 has decline to 1.1 per cent in Nepal, the death toll on an average has hovered at more than 10 per day over the last few days.
On Monday, 13 deaths reported were due to COVID-19-related complications. That figure was 11 on Sunday, nine on Saturday, 16 on Friday, 14 on Thursday, 12 on Wednesday and nine on Tuesday.
The percentage of people who eventually succumb to the coronavirus is lower during the third wave than those in the first and second waves.

Unlike in the second wave, the fatality rate is very low in the third wave, said Dr. Krishna Prasad Poudel, director at Epediomology and Disease Control Division (EDCD).
According to the official data, 190 such deaths were recorded in three weeks, informed Dr. Poudel.

Until three weeks ago, the positivity rate stayed at more than 50 per cent, leading to increased COVID-19-related hospitalizations. The deaths these days are the consequences of the hospitalizations at the time when there was a spike in the cases, said Dr. Poudel.

Among the fatalities recorded during the third wave so far, Bagmati Province has recorded the highest deaths with 43 per cent while Karnali the lowest deaths with 4 per cent, according to the data of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).

According to Dr. Poudel, 94 per cent of the deaths occurred in the hospitals while the rest were reported from home isolation or on the way to hospital.
Omicron has caused less severe disease than Delta variant, but it has turned out to be a fatal virus, particularly for those unvaccinated or with pre-existing health issues, said Dr. Sangita Kaushal Mishra, spokesperson for the MoHP.

“With Omicron being dominant variant of COVID-19 these days, those succumbing to it are reported to be those with prior health complications or those who were not vaccinated with even a single shot or with only single dose,” said Dr. Mishra.

According to Dr. Manisha Rawal, director at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the hospital has recorded two deaths in the last two weeks, and both occurred among those who already had some underlying health issues.

According to the MoHP, the active caseload declined to 40,111 on Monday, down from 69,287 on last Wednesday. Of the active cases, 1,228 patients are admitted to various health facilities while the remaining 38,883 are in home isolation. Similarly, 255 individuals infected with the virus are being treated in intensive care units across the country. Similarly, another 42 patients are receiving treatment with ventilator support.