Humla, April 26: Sixteen people died in two VDCs of Humla district in the last one month due to asthma and common cold.

Nine of Syada VDC and seven of Raya VDC died due to the diseases, according to officiating District Public Health Chief, Amardeep Dev.

Most of the elderly people above 60 years have been affected due to the disease, he added.

Dev further said a four-member team comprising Dr Chhabi Bastola has been deployed towards the VDCs, which lie seven hours trek from the district headquarters.

A total of 250 people of the affected area are undergoing treatment.

Responding to a query of the National News Agency (RSS), Director at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Dr Baburam Marasini, said that efforts were underway to collect blood samples from the patients for the test so that further causes of the disease could be identified. RSS