Officials at the hospital informed that a seven-member team led by Professor Manen Gorkhali will provide treatment to patients infected with swine flu virus.
"We have formed a seven-member team to deal with swine flu cases," Dr Swyam Prakash Pandit, director at the hospital, said. He informed that the hospital has also expanded beds in its isolation ward to keep the infected patients.
According to Director Pandit, the hospital has set up additional two beds to keep patients in isolation near the ward adjoining with new Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
He also informed that the Minister for Health and Population Khaga Raj Adhikari recently visited the hospital to take stock of the hospital´s preparedness to deal with swine flu cases. Director Pandit informed that minister Adhikari had also promised financial as well as technical assistance to the hospital.
National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) under the Department of Health Services said that 49 people have tested positive for the influenza virus until Wednesday. A woman from Kathmandu had died while undergoing treatment at Kathmandu Model Hospital last Saturday.
NPHL said that influenza ´A´, ´B´ and ´H3´ virus has been active throughout the country. A report issued by NPHL on Friday showed a patient from the capital tested positive for H3 virus.
"Influenza A, B and H3 become active in the country in this season," said Dr Geeta Shakya, director at NPHL, adding that flu is seasonal and common in late winter season.
In India, deaths from swine flu virus have crossed over 1,000.
Related story
African swine flu and lumpy skin cases confirmed in Mechinagar
