Nepal reported its 14th Covid-19 death on Monday. As many as 314 new Covid-19 cases were also confirmed, which took the country’s tally to 3,762.
Dr Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said swab samples of a 58-year-old man from Waling municipality-3 in Syangja came positive.
“The man had arrived in Nepal on June 4 from Hyderabad, India. He was in quarantine at Pokhara Academy of Health Science. He previously had kidney-related ailment and he died on Sunday,” said Gautam.
The Health Ministry also said 314 new cases were confirmed at 21 labs across the country.
“Samples of 106 individuals from Sarlahi, 31 from Argakhanchi, 24 from Kapilvastu, 22 from Saptari, 18 from Bardiya, 12 from Mahottari and 10 from Dailekh tested positive for the virus,” said Gautam at a regular press briefing. “Similarly, 15 persons tested positive at Janakpur Zonal Hospital, Dhanusha, nine each from Jhapa and Morang, eight each from Parsa and Pyuthan, seven each from Bara and Rautahat, five each from Salyan and Rupandehi and four each from Dang and Nawalparasi also tested positive for the virus.”
Two persons from Nawalparasi and one each from Sunsari, Panchthar, Kaski, Banke, Surkhet, Gulmi, Palpa and Syangja also tested positive.
According to the ministry, people from 71 districts have contracted the coronavirus infections.
Kapilvastu has so far reported 559cases, the highest for a district, followed by Rautahat with 404 cases while 374 cases have been reported in Sarlahi.
Similarly, Dailekh has reported 368 cases; Banke has recorded 271, Jhapa has recorded 143 cases and Salyan has so far reported 122 cases.
“So far, 100,971 polymerase chain reaction tests and 156,991 rapid diagnostic tests have been carried out across the country,” said Gautam.
According to Gautam, 488 people have been discharged from various hospitals after recovery.
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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