Covid-19 toll reaches 65 after five more deaths, 360 new cases confirmed
Ministry says two persons from Morang and one each from Dhanusha, Sarlahi and Saptari died. Kathmandu recorded highest 76 new cases in 24 hours. Shutterstock
Nepal’s Covid-19 toll reached 65 on Thursday after five deaths were registered in the past 24 hours while the cases surged to 21,750 after 360 new infections.
The Health Ministry said two persons from Morang and one each from Sarlahi, Dhanusha and Saptari district had died from Covid-19-related conditions.
Ministry spokesperson Dr Jageshwor Gautam said two 45-year-old men from Morang died in Koshi Hospital, Biratnagar, on August 5. The first victim from Darbesha in Rangeli Municipality ward 8 had respiratory problems while another from Biratnagar Metropolitan City ward 9 was a diabetic with kidney ailments.
A 65-year-old woman from Malangawa Municipality ward 5 in Sarlahi died at the Armed Police Force Hospital in Balambu on August 5. She was diagnosed with Covid-19 two days before her death and was referred to the hospital from Manmohan Memorial Teaching Hospital where she was admitted with pneumonia and respiratory problems on July 31. She had been receiving ventilator support following low blood oxygen level when she died.
Another victim, a 72-year-old woman from Lalgadh in Mithila Municipality ward 10 of Dhanusha, died on August 1 at the Chabahil-based Om Hospital and Research Center. She had come from Dhanusha and was admitted to the hospital the same morning with multiple problems including asthma, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure, breathing difficulties and diabetes.
The fifth victim, a 42-year-old man of Rupani Municipality ward 5 in Saptari district died on August 5 while being taken to BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan. He was admitted to Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital in Rajbiraj on August 4 and was referred to Dharan for further treatment. He had returned from Malaysia around one-and-a-half months ago and had stayed in home quarantine.
The ministry also confirmed 360 new cases from 6,622 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests with Kathmandu recording the highest 76 cases in the past 24 hours.
Forty-two individuals from Parsa, 32 from Kapilvastu, 24 each from Dhanusha and Morang, 21 from Kailali, 19 from Sunsari, 15 from Ilam, 14 from Bara, 10 from Lalitpur, nine from Sarlahi, eight from Jhapa, seven from Achham, six from Gorkha, five from Pyuthan, four each from Makwanpur and Rupandehi, three each from Bajhang, Bajura, Dang, Kavrepalanchok and Mahottari, two each from Bhojpur, Doti, Kanchanpur, Rautahat and Siraha, and one each from Baitadi, Banke, Bhaktapur, Chitwan, Dailekh, Dolakha, Gulmi, Jumla, Kaski, Mugu, Nuwakot, Parbat, Ramechhap, Surkhet and Udayapur also tested positive.
The ministry said 15,389, or 70.7 percent of the total infected, individuals have made successful recoveries after being diagnosed with Covid-19. The ministry said 233 persons were discharged in the past 24 hours.
As many as 419,575 PCR tests have been performed in the country so far.
Six districts—Khotang, Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha, Manang, Mustang and Rukum (West)—don’t have any active cases, according to the ministry.
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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