The District Health Office, Dolakha has claimed that no earthquake-displaced person has died of cold in the district so far.

The DHO, however, clarified that there were deaths of the quake-affected people recently due to other reasons.

The office was responding to news reports of deaths of the quake survivors living in makeshift shelters caused by excessive cold. Organising a press meet at the District Administration Office, DHO chief Dr Madhav Prasad Lamsal said they had gone door to door collecting information on the deaths of the quake-displaced people this winter.

“The affected families told us that their relatives had not died of cold,” said Lamsal. Stating that his office mobilised health workers immediately after the deaths in the affected areas, he blamed the fatalities on asthma, kidney ailments, paralysis and blood pressure. Health workers in rural areas had been alerted to be prepared to provide services any time.

Dr Lamsal said that diseases can become fatal when the patients are severely affected by cold.