Nepal’s Covid-19 tally jumped to 375 on Monday as 80 new cases were reported in the day.
The Health Ministry said 18 new cases were confirmed on Monday evening.
“Tests carried out on samples of 18 individual at National Public Health Laboratory, Kathmandu; BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan; Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj and Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar came out positive for Covid-19,” said the Health Ministry in a statement issued late Monday night.
According to the statement, 12 people from Banke, two from Dhanusha and one person each from Khotang, Dailekh, Sunsari and Jhapa districts tested positive for the coronavirus.
With this, Khotang, Dailekh and Sunsari recorded their first Covid-19 cases.
On Monday alone, Banke has reported 59 new Covid-19 cases, the highest for one district in a single day. Of them, 58 are men and one is a woman.
The Health Ministry, during its regular briefing on Monday evening, had also confirmed one Covid-19 case each in Morang, Gulmi, Dhanusa, Rautahat, Dang and Dhading districts.
Earlier on Monday morning, the ministry said seven men and a woman from Rautahat and one man from Bara had tested positive for coronavirus. With the latest cases the daily tally has reached 80.
On Sunday, the ministry had confirmed 14 new cases with one death, the second Covid-19 death in the country. A 25-year-old man who died in a quarantine facility on Sunday morning in Banke was found to be infected with the virus. A 29-year-old woman who died on Thursday also had tested positive for the virus.
The virus now has spread to 34 districts in the country.
With the authorities expediting testing, more cases are being reported from across the country.
The government has anticipated an exponential rise in the Covid-19 cases throughout the country—1,000 within a week and around 2,000 in 10 days.
Banke has so far reported 93 cases, the highest in the country. The number of cases in Parsa district is 91. Forty-two cases have been reported in Kapilvastu and 33 in Udayapur, along with 28 cases in Rupandehi.
Rautahat has now reported 22 cases while Dhanusa has reported nine cases. Seven cases have been detected in Kathmandu.
Kailali, Dang and Bara have reported four cases each, with three cases each from Chitwan, Sarlahi, Morang, Dhading, Jhapa and Mahottari. Baglung, Bardiya and Bhaktapur have reported two cases each.
Similarly, Khotang, Dailekh, Sunsari, Gulmi, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Saptari, Siraha, Kanchanpur, Nawalparasi (West), Nawalparasi (East), Kavre, Sindhupalchok and Makwanpur have reported one Covid-19 case each.
According to the ministry, 36 patients have been discharged after recovery. However, three patients have been readmitted in the isolation facilities after they tested positive in retests.
Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus outbreak
UPDATED as of September 22, 2020
What is Covid-19? Covid-19, short for coronavirus disease, is an illness caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, short for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Common symptoms of the disease include fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
How contagious is Covid-19? Covid-19 can spread easily from person to person, especially in enclosed spaces. The virus can travel through the air in respiratory droplets produced when a sick person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. As the virus can also survive on plastic and steel surfaces for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours, any contact with such surfaces can also spread the virus. Symptoms take between two to 14 days to appear, during which time the carrier is believed to be contagious.
Where did the virus come from? The virus was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December. The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that is responsible for everything from the common cold to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). After an initial outbreak in Wuhan that spread across Hubei province, eventually infecting over 80,000 and killing more than 3,000, new infection rates in mainland China have dropped. However, the disease has since spread across the world at an alarming rate.
What is the current status of Covid-19?
The World Health Organisation has called the ongoing outbreak a “pandemic” and urged countries across the world to take precautionary measures. Covid-19 has spread to 213 countries and territoriesaround the world and infected more than 31,405,983 people with 967,505 deaths and 22,990,260 recoveries. In South Asia, India has reported the highest number of infections at 5,557,573 with 88,943 deaths. While Pakistan has reported 306,304 confirmed cases with 6,420 deaths. Nepal has so far reported 65,276 cases with 427 deaths.
How dangerous is the disease?
The mortality rate for Covid-19 is estimated to be 3.6 percent, but new studies have put the rate slightly higher at 5.7 percent. Although Covid-19 is not too dangerous to young healthy people, older individuals and those with immune-compromised systems are at greater risk of death. People with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, or those who’ve recently undergone serious medical procedures, are also at risk.
How do I keep myself safe? The WHO advises that the most important thing you can do is wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol content. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands. Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces like your computers and phones. Avoid large crowds of people. Seek medical attention if symptoms persist for longer than a few days.
Is it time to panic?
No. The government has imposed a lockdown to limit the spread of the virus. There is no need to begin stockpiling food, cooking gas or hand sanitizers. However, it is always prudent to take sensible precautions like the ones identified above.
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