KATHMANDU: As many as 18 people have died in Kaski, Banke and Palpa in the last 12 hours.

Seven each died in Kaski and Banke and four succumbed to the virus in Palpa, said the respective district health office.

Seven more people including a postpartum woman have died due to the shortage of oxygen in Pokhara, according to western regional hospital.

The deceased are three from Tahanun and one each from Myagdi, Syangja, Parbat and Syangja, said Dr Sharad Chandra Baral, the focal person of COVID-19 ward of Western Regional Hospital.

They died when high flow oxygen being administered to COVID-19 patient finished all of a sudden.

The kin of the patients had scrambled to the oxygen manufacturing industries for oxygen but in vain.

Similarly, seven more people succumbed to the virus in Banke. Six died at Bheri Hospital and one breathed his last at Nepalgunj Medical College, informed District Health Office.

The deceased include people aged 34 to 69.

With this, the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Banke climbs to 558 including 270 from outside the district.

Similarly, four people have from COVID-19 in Palpa district.

The deceased include one each from Tansen municipality and Rambha rural municipality, and two from Raina Devi Chhahara rural municipality, informed district health office.