Three people have died while many others have taken ill due to swine flu in Pokhara of Kaski district. Those who have fallen sick are receiving treatment at various hospitals in the district.

The exact number of people suffering from the virus, however, has not been ascertained yet, according to Public Health Office, Kaski.

According to the office’s Vector Control Officer Yam Baral, the deceased include one male and two female.

Out of 83 people affected by the flu across the country, six people have died till Wednesday where three deaths were at Pokhara alone, according to central data.

“We have sent PCR of some of the patients receiving treatment in various Pokhara-based hospitals to Central Laboratory for test.  We can tell how many of them have swine flu only after receiving the report,” said Baral.

A team of four health workers has been mobilised in the Pokhara Metropolitan City to raise public awareness about the disease. The team will be indulged in miking, distribution of awareness pamphlets and publish news on local media.

Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, watery red eyes, body aches, headache, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are some common symptoms of swine flu. 

 “One need not to panic during normal common cold,” said Regional Health Directorate Vector Control Officer Ramrijhan Yadav. He suggested ample rest, hot water, fluid and nutritious food to protect oneself from the disease.

Meanwhile, two persons have died due to swine flu in Birtamod of Jhapa in the last two weeks.

According to the District Public Health Office (DPHO), Anitadevi Mittal, 47, of Birtamod-4 and 37-year-old Manisha Agrawal of Birtamod-1 breathed their last during the course of treatment at the Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, India.

Following the death of two persons, this year’s toll from H1N1 influenza has reached eight.

The DPHO said Anita died on July 16 while Manisha died on July 30.

Kul Bahadur Paudel, Programme Officer at the DPHO, said that the reports of the hospital confirmed that they died of swine flu.

“We are all set to control the swine flu epidemic. A health team is being mobilised in the affected areas,” said Paudel. 

The DPHO said that a medical team from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) will head for Birtamod soon for inspection.

Locals have been left panic stricken following the death of two persons.

Dhurba Kumar Siwakoti, mayor of the municipality, said they have started to raise awareness about the spread and control of the disease in the affected areas.

At least 30 people have succumbed to the disease in Nepal since 2009. The  H1N1 pdm 09 strain of influenza found in Nepal is the same that caused a global pandemic in 2009, killing more than 18,000 people worldwide.