The number of people infected with Covid-19 in Nepal has reached seven since January this year, according to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.

Officials said as many as six people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Kavrepalanchok district, while the National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed one positive case this year.

“A new coronavirus outbreak could occur at any time in our country,” said Dr Chandra Bhal Jha, director of the division. “We are aware of the risk and have alerted our health agencies accordingly.”

Several countries, including India, Singapore, Thailand, the United States of America, and China’s Hong Kong region, among others, have reported a surge in new cases of coronavirus infection of late.

India has confirmed the emergence of new Covid variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7.

According to media reports, Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium data shows that one case of the newly emerging Covid-19 variant NB.1.8.1 and four instances of LF.7 type have been detected in India.

Likewise, Covid cases have been reported from Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab and Delhi, which prompted some states to start preparations for beds, oxygen, medicines and vaccines to deal with possible emergencies.

Health authorities in Punjab have begun contact tracing.

As many as 20 Indian states have reported active coronavirus cases including those which either share borders with Nepal or host thousands of Nepali migrant workers.

The World Health Organisation has clasified NB.1.8 subvariant as a variant under monitoring. The UN health body said that additional public helath risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level as per the available evidence.

“Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalisations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that the variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation,” reads the WHO statement.

The NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 variants are driving cases of infections in several countries including Hong Kong of China, Singapore, Thailand and others.

The recent surge in new Covid cases in Southeast Asia is being driven by the JN.1 variant, which is a descendant of the Omicron BA.2.86. The World Health Organisation said that the JN.1 variant has around 30 mutations, including LF.7 and NB.1.8, the most common sub-variant responsible for the current surge.

Nepal previously reported outbreaks of Omicron BA.2.86 and its several sub-lineages, including JN.1. The symptoms of the JN.1 are similar to other variants, including fever, dry cough, loss of taste or smell, headache, runny nose, exhaustion and sore throat. Studies show JN.1 variant may cause more severe diarrhoea than other variants.

Experts say even if the new variant of coronavirus is of a mild nature, elderly people and those with underlying conditions are at risk of getting severe symptoms if infected.

“It’s high time people be careful and follow preventive measures—wearing face masks, washing hands and avoiding crowds,” said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. “We must think of the vulnerable population at our homes and follow safety measures. Surveillance measures must be stepped up and coronavirus tests should also be carried out on patients with influenza-like symptoms.”

Experts say that the virus could enter Nepal at any time due to geographic proximity with, and the movement of people, from countries that are seeing a spike in infections. The country in the past witnessed Covid outbreaks after surges in other countries.

As it has already been years since many people were inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine, officials say their immunity level has waned.

“We have held meetings with the World Health Organisation’s Nepal representatives twice about the growing risk of a surge in coronavirus cases and requested their help in case of need,” said Jha, the division director. “We have also stepped up surveillance measures at the points of entry, including in the Tribhuvan International Airport.”