Nepal reported two more Covid-19 related deaths on Wednesday and 100 new cases as the national total reached 18,094.
The health ministry said a 60-year old man from Janakpur sub-metropolis in Dhanusha and a 49-year-old Chinese woman living in Pokhara for the past one year died of the disease.
Ministry spokesperson Dr Jageshwor Gautam said the man was admitted to the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences on July 17 following breathing complications and fever. He was kept on a ventilator and had been receiving treatment when he died on Tuesday. His swab samples tested positive.
The Chinese woman, who owned a business in Pokhara, was admitted to Manipal Hospital in Pokhara after heart and kidney-related problems. She was airlifted to Grande Hospital in Kathmandu on July 17. After she tested positive, she was taken to the TU Teaching Hospital where she died on Wednesday during the course of treatment.
With these deaths, Nepal’s Covid-19 toll has reached 42.
The Health Ministry also reported 100 new Covid-19 cases, taking the national total to 18,094.
“In the 3,779 real-time polymerase chain reaction tests carried out at 27 labs across the country, 100 samples came back positive,” said Dr Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, during his daily press briefing.
Throat swabs of 18 people from Saptari, 16 from Dailekh, seven each from Doti and Lamjung, six each from Kalikot and Parsa, five from Dhanusha, four from Sunsari, three each from Baglung, Banke, Bara, Kathmandu, Morang, Sarlahi, Syangja and Taplejung, two each from Bardiya and Salyan, and one each from Bajhang, Chitwan and Jhapa tested positive.
So far 12,684 individuals have recovered from the disease. Gautam said 207 patients were discharged in the past 24 hours.
As many as 327,614 PCR tests have been carried out in the country so far. Seven districts—Bhojpur, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha, Dhankuta, Manang, Mustang and Humla—don’t have any active cases, Gautam said.
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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