The majority of households in Soru Rural Municipality have been suffering from fever since the last two weeks.

On Thursday night, Bir Bahadur Shahi, 65, of Mathilibru in Ward No. 4 of Soru died of fever, according to health workers at Soru Health Post.

The number of patients suffering from fever, headache, loss of appetite and body ache has been on the rise in Mathilibru.

According to villagers, around 100 people are suffering from fever in Ward No. 4 alone. However, the local health post lacks the equipment, medicine and human resources to handle the overwhelming number of patients.

“My father died in need of treatment. The majority of people in our village have fallen sick and need medical care at the earliest,” said Kanna Shahi, son of Bir Bahadur. “We have to rely on medicinal herbs, as the health post does not have any medicines.”

Bhaire Kami and his wife Kamali of Mathilibru have been bed ridden with fever for the past few days.

“My wife and I are suffering from fever, vomiting and headache, among other symptoms. Even in this condition, we have not received any treatment and medicines. We are relying solely on medicinal herbs,” he said.

The local health post does not even have paracetamol, say local residents.

“I had to go to Balukuna in Humla to get treatment and purchase medicine. The local health post is not equipped to treat the rising number of fever patients,” said Anga Shahi, a resident of Ward No. 4 in Soru.

According to him, the majority of patients are showing symptoms similar to that of Covid-19.

“However, the local unit has not paid any attention to containing the disease. The situation has become critical now,” said Shahi. “The people's representatives and employees of the local unit have not taken any initiatives to test and identify the sick.”

Most of the people in Photu, Libru, Rawalbada, Narthapu, Jima of Soru and Tumcha village of Humla have fallen sick because of fever for the past few weeks.

“I was also bedridden for the past one week. Senior citizens and children have been affected the most. But the health post does not even have paracetamol,” said Bhakta Bahadur Malla, an auxiliary health worker of Soru Health Post. “We have been requesting the rural municipality to provide us with medicines and other equipment time and again but to no avail.”