Nepal on Thursday reported three more deaths from Covid-19-related conditions and 274 new coronavirus cases, taking the toll to 52 and total infections to 19,547.
Three men, aged 45, 70 and 68 from Morang and Parsa districts, became the latest Covid-19 fatalities in the country, said Dr Jageswar Gautam, the Health Ministry spokesperson, during a press briefing.
“A 45-year-old man from Sunwarshi Municipality Ward 8 in Morang died at 4:45 pm on Wednesday while undergoing treatment on ventilator support at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan” said Gautam. “He had fever and breathing-related difficulties.”
According to Gautam, his swab samples tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday.
“He frequently travelled to India,” Gautam said. “He was referred to the BPKIHS from the Covid Hospital in Biratnagar the same day.”
A 70-year-old man from Birgunj Metropolitan City Ward 7 died at 11 am on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at Narayani Hospital in Birgunj.
According to Gautam, he was a diabetic and had heart-related ailments. He was transferred to Narayani Hospital after he tested positive for Covid-19 while undergoing treatment for pneumonia at a private hospital in Birgunj on July 23.
Another man, a 68-year-old resident of Birgunj Metropolitan City Ward 5, died at around 3 am on Wednesday at National Medical College in Birgunj.
According to Gautam, he tested positive for Covid-19 on July 22. He had kidney-related ailments and suffered from diarrhoea.
“He had visited Narayani Hospital in Birgunj on Tuesday,” Gautam said. “His condition required him to be treated in the intensive care unit, but he could not be kept in the ICU at Narayani Hospital.”
He was, then, admitted to National Medical College.
Of the 6,304 PCR tests carried out at various labs across the country in the last 24 hours, samples of 49 people from Parsa, 41 from Kathmandu, 20 from Banke, 14 each from Dhanusha and Kaski, 12 each from Bara and Syangja, 10 from Dailekh, nine from Surkhet, eight from Bardiya, seven from Nawalparasi (East), six each from Mahottari and Baglung, five each from Kailali, Bhaktapur and Sarlahi, four each from Dhading and Jhapa, three each from Lamjung, Tanahun, Dang, Pyuthan and Salyan, two each from Sunsari, Udayapur, Morang, Rautahat, Saptari, Nuwakot, Lalitpur, Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur, and one each from Chitwan, Dolakha, Gorkha, Arghakhanchi, Kapilvastu, Darchula, Khotang, Rupandehi, Mugu and Jajarkot tested positive for the coronavirus.
So far, 14,248 individuals have made successful recoveries after being infected with the coronavirus, which causes Covid-19. Dr Gautam said 227 patients were discharged in the past 24 hours.
As many as 364,648 PCR tests have been performed in the country so far. Five districts—Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha, Rasuwa, Manang and Mustang—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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