Purpose: To document the demographic profile of the SHAPU outbreak amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A multicentric cross-sectional study of the 2021 SHAPU outbreak during the second phase of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Results: A total of 135 patients were diagnosed with SHAPU from August to December 2021, 77 (57%) were children <16 years, males 54.8% and 34.8% had direct physical contact with white moths and 41.5% had severe type of SHAPU. Dramatic increment in the moth abundance was noted in these outbreak sites. Few cases presented with atypical ocular findings, unlike past outbreaks. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions on travel and transportation, timely management was difficult and good visual outcome was achieved only in mild-moderate cases with an early presentation.
Conclusion: The surge in the number of SHAPU patients, its occurrence in areas previously unreported, and some atypical presentation added raised suspicion of a possible link between COVID-19 and SHAPU.
Keywords: COVID-19; Children; SHAPU; unilateral blindness; white moth.
Increase in SHAPU patients, incidence in unreported areas of Nepal, atypical ocular presentations and shift in disease affection from children towards adults population have raised doubt between connections between SHAPU, white moths and COVID pandemic.