Nepal on Tuesday reported a Covid death, the first in over two years. This indicates that new Omicron subvariants are once again spreading in communities and taking a toll.

According to officials at Biratnagar-based Nobel Medical College and Teaching Hospital, a 39-year-old woman from Suryodaya Municipality, who was admitted to the hospital’s emergency department, succumbed to the infection.

“The woman was brought to our hospital at 4:20 in the morning,” said Dipesh Rai, manager of the hospital. “The patient died at 6 am.”

According to the hospital administration, the woman was brought to the hospital in a critical condition. Her relatives told doctors that the patient had been suffering from fever and respiratory problems, and had tested positive for coronavirus.

“The police accompanied the patient and, after death, they [police] took the body to Ilam [the woman’s village],” said Rai.

Officials at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division said they are aware of the latest death.

“Yes, I am aware of the case,” said Dr Chandra Bhal Jha, director at the division. “We have directed officials concerned to coordinate with provincial health authorities and take stock of the situation.”

The last time the country recorded a Covid death was in April 2023.

Of late, Nepal has been witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases.

The Ministry of Health and Population on Monday confirmed the spread of multiple subvariants of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Of the 14 swab samples of Covid-infected persons on which whole-genome sequencing was carried out recently, Omicron subvariants were detected in all.

According to the National Public Health Laboratory, which carried out the whole genome sequencing, the subvariant XFG was confirmed in seven samples, XFG.3 in five samples, and JN.1 in two samples.

The Omicron’s subvariants XFG and XFG.3 are also the dominant strains spreading in neighbouring India.

The NPHL said that NB.1.8.1 was not detected in any of the samples.

Whole-genome sequencing is a comprehensive method of analysing the entire DNA sequence of an organism’s genes. Researchers believe that whole-genome sequencing of the coronavirus could be instrumental in tracking the severity and properties of the virus.

According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, 180 people from 25 districts have tested positive for Covid since January. At least 25 people tested positive for the potentially deadly virus in the past week alone. The number of people testing positive in the past 24 hours stands at eight.

However, people had been getting infected since the start of the year, as the virus had already become endemic in Nepal.

Health officials say rapid diagnostic testing is currently being carried out only on individuals with coronavirus-like symptoms—fever, cough, sore throat, among others.

No tests are being carried out on asymptomatic individuals, who may still be infected. Some may be arriving during the virus’ incubation period, but no agency in the country is tracking their movements. Health workers say they have asked infected people at border entry points to stay in isolation for five days before returning home.

Health Ministry officials also said they have started the process to buy rapid diagnostic test kits, which are in limited supply.

India has of late reported a steady decline in the number of active cases. According to media reports, India’s active caseload dropped to 5,012 on Sunday, down from 5,976 on Friday.

Thousands of people from both countries enter each other’s territories every day on top of the large number of those who use unregulated points along the porous border.

Experts say almost all variants of the coronavirus in India have found their way into Nepal. They say that even if the latest Omicron subvariants are not as deadly as other variants, the virus still poses a serious threat to the elderly and people with compromised immunity.