KATHMANDU: With the third wave of COVID-19 taking a foothold in the country, a large number of health workers and other officials have been infected with the virus.

As many as 143 health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in six government hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley.

According to hospital sources, 65 health workers have been infected with the virus at TU Teaching Hospital, 35 at Bir Hospital, 25 at Patan Hospital, four at Teku, 10 at Nepal Police Hospital, and four have been infected with the virus at Armed Police Force (APF).

The number of infections is increasing in the hospitals outside the Kathmandu Valley, too. According to the hospital sources, 27 health workers and other staffers have been infected with the COVID-19 at the District Hospital, Dang, 15 at Bharatpur Hospital, four at Amppipal Hospital, Gorkha, four each in Banke and Nagayanpur Hospital, Siraha.

Similarly, two health workers have been infected with the virus at Mahottari and Parsa and one each has been infected at Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital and Mechi Hospital.

Meanwhile, health experts have warned that the entire health system may collapse in the country if an immediate measure is taken to control the fast-spreading infection cases of COVID-19.