Health Minister Giri Raj Mani Pokharel has been admitted to Bir Hospital in Kathmandu after he contracted swine flu (Influenza A-H1N1). He was taken to the hospital on Sunday.

However, the hospital has not officially confirmed that Minister Pokharel has contracted the viral disease.

Director at Bir Hospital, Dr Bhupendra Basnet, said the health minister has been admitted to the hospital after he was found to have developed infection in his respiratory tract.

“Presently the minister’s health condition is good and he is out of danger,” he said.

Scores of swine flu cases were detected in Nepal this season, and it was confirmed that over 100 patients around the country were infected by the virus. The virus is said to have claimed 12 lives across the country over the past two weeks.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract and infected patients exhibit symptoms such as high fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny nasal secretions, fatigue, decreased appetite, and diarrhoea in children.