Nepal records 1,459 new Covid-19 infections, highest for a single day; 11 more deaths take toll to 371
According to the Health Ministry, Kathmandu Valley reported 676 new infections, with 555 cases in Kathmandu, 86 in Bhaktapur and 35 in Lalitpur districts. Shutterstock
Nepal on Tuesday reported 1,459 new infections, the highest daily spike in Covid-19 cases, taking the national tally to 56,788.
The Health Ministry also confirmed 11 more deaths in the past 24-hours, as the Covid-19-related death count reached 371.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, the active case count stands at 15,779. So far, 40,638 individuals have made successful recoveries—1,062 of them in the past 24 hours.
Kathmandu Valley recorded 676 new infections. Of them, 555 were confirmed in Kathmandu, 86 in Bhaktapur and 35 in Lalitpur districts. As of Tuesday, the number of cases in the Valley has reached 12,924. A total of 10,426 cases were detected after the prohibitory orders came into effect on August 19 midnight.
“Seven men and four women died of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours,” Dr Jageshwar Gautam, spokesperson for the ministry, said during a regular press briefing.
Three men—aged 34, 96 and 66 —and a woman aged 86, were from Kathmandu. Two individuals, a woman and a man, both aged 55, from Bara were also among the deceased. Two women—a 35-year-old from Siraha and a 64 year-old from Rupandehi— and three men aged 64, 61 and 58 from Sarlahi, Makwanpur and Kapilvastu districts respectively, also succumbed to the disease.
The country has seen 38,794 infections and 331 deaths since July 22. There were 17,994 cases and 40 Covid-19-related deaths until July 21, when the government decided to end the nationwide lockdown after four months.
According to the ministry, 123 individuals from Bagmati Province, 115 from Province 2, 55 from Province 5, 39 from Province 1, 24 from Gandaki Province, 10 from Sudurpaschim Province, and five from Karnali Province have died of Covid-19 so far.
As of Tuesday, the government has carried out 861,780 PCR tests across the country.
“A total of 10,375 PCR tests were performed in the past 24 hours,” said Gautam.
In the past 24 hours, 555 individuals from Kathmandu, 162 from Siraha, 111 from Morang, 87 from Makwanpur, 86 from Bhaktapur, 51 from Rupandehi, 37 from Chitwan, 35 from Lalitpur, 27 from Banke, 26 each from Rautahat and Dang, 24 from Saptari, 23 from Surkhet, 21 from Nawalparasi (East), 17 from Sunsari, 16 from Palpa, 14 from Syangja, 11 each from Kailali and Doti, tested positive for the coronavirus infection.
Infections were also recorded in nine people each in Mahottari and Tanahun, eight each in Kavrepalanchok, Kanchanpur and Baitadi, seven in Kaski, six each in Jhapa and Dhanusa, five each in Dolakha and Gorkha, four each in Sarlahi, Dhading and Lamjung districts.
Likewise, three persons each in Bara, Argakhanchi, Gulmi, Nawalparasi (West)and Darchula, two each in Nuwakot, Ramechhap, Sindhupalchok, Dailekh, Salyan and Bajhang and one each in Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Taplejung, Panchthar, Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha, Parsa, Manang and Bardiya, also tested positive for the virus.
“Seven districts—Morang, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur and Rupandehi—have more than 500 active cases,” Gautam said. “Six districts— Solukhumbu, Mustang, Myagdi, Dolpa, Mugu and Humla—don’t have any active cases.”
“As of Tuesday, 174 Covid-19 patients were being treated in intensive care units across the country and 28 patients—25 in Bagmati, and one each in Province 1, Province 5 and Sudurpaschim Province—are on ventilator support.”
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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