Nepal confirmed its 31st Covid-19 related death and registered 473 new cases on Thursday.
“A 49-day-old infant from Myagdi died while undergoing treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu at 4 pm on Wednesday,” said Dr Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, at a regular press briefing.
“The infant was admitted to the hospital on June 23,” Gautam said. “The baby was being treated at the Intensive Care Unit for kidney and nose related ailments.”
According to Gautam, the infant had undergone the first stage of dialysis as well.
With the new fatality, the Covid-19 toll has reached 31.
The ministry also confirmed 473 new cases in the last 24 hours to take the national Covid-19 tally to 14,519.
“Samples of 165 individuals from Kailali, 58 from Doti, 35 from Bajhang, 31 each from Achham and Kanchanpur, 30 from Dhanusha, 28 from Kathmandu, 16 from Lamjung, 13 from Mahottari and 10 from Saptari tested positive for the virus,” said Gautam.
New cases were reported also from Jhapa, Khotang, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, Bhaktapur, Chitwan, Dhading, Dolakha, Kavre, Lalitpur, Makwanpur, Nuwakot, Ramechhap, Rasuwa, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchok, Baglung, Gorkha, Kaski, Parbat, Syangja, Tanahu, Arghakhanchi, Bardiya, Dang, Nawalparasi (West), Palpa, Rupandehi, Dailekh and Kalikot, according to the ministry.
The country recorded one death and 482 new cases on Wednesday while 316 new cases were confirmed on Tuesday.
“So far, 237,764 polymerase chain reaction tests have been conducted across the country,” said Gautam.
A total of 4,320 individuals have recovered from the disease in the country, with 664 discharged in the last 24 hours.
Track all Covid-19 cases in Nepal here.
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 territories around 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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