Amid a surge in Covid cases in various parts of the country, health authorities are considering administering Covid booster shots to people with underlying health conditions.

According to officials at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, discussions are underway with stakeholders about vaccinating vulnerable groups.

“We held discussions with the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and other stakeholders about administering the Covid-19 vaccine to elderly people and others with compromised immunity,” said Dr Chandra Bhal Jha, director at the division. “We have around 600,000 doses of the Covid vaccine in stock, which can be administered as booster shots to highly vulnerable groups.”

Currently, the Covid vaccine is being administered at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku, Kathmandu.

Of late, Covid cases have been surging in many districts across the country. The country reported a Covid death last Tuesday, the first in over two years, which indicates that new variants of the coronavirus are once again spreading in communities and taking a toll.

At least 221 cases of infection have been reported since January.

According to data provided by the division, all seven provinces in the country have reported cases of coronavirus infection. Bagmati province has reported 170 cases, the highest number in the country, followed by Sudurpaschim 21 cases, Koshi 12 cases, Madhesh 8, Lumbini 5, Gandaki 4, and Karnali one case.

The Ministry of Health and Population confirmed the spread of multiple subvariants of the Omicron strain of the coronavirus.

Of the 14 swab samples from 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 genome sequencing, the subvariant XFG was confirmed in seven samples, XFG.3 in five samples, and JN.1 in two samples.

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

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

Health experts say that although the latest Omicron subvariants are not as deadly as earlier strains, they still pose a serious threat to the elderly and people with compromised immunity.

Health officials say that they have purchased 2,000 rapid diagnostic test kits to carry out screening in the health desks set up at international land crossings and international airports.

Health workers deployed there are tasked with screening only those individuals who show coronavirus-like symptoms—fever, cough, sore throat, among others.

“We will purchase more if needed,” said Jha. “We have also requested with the World Health Organisation for testing kits.”

Meanwhile, the division said that the mpox-infected Saudi Arabia returnee migrant worker has recovered fully and has been discharged from the hospital.