In view of the growing number of Covid-19 cases and hospitals running out of beds, the Health Ministry has urged the public to be cautious and strictly follow health and safety protocols such as wearing masks, physical distancing and washing hands with soap at regular intervals.

The ministry also pointed out that in 22 districts一Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa, Parsa, Bara, Dhanusha, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Kavrepalanchowk, Kaski, Dang, Banke, Rupandehi, Palpa, Bardiya, Kapilvastu, Surkhet, Kailali and Kanchanpur一infections are spreading dangerously.

“As the number of infections has been increasing the health system is not being able to cope and a situation has already arisen in which hospital beds cannot be made available,” said the ministry in a statement on Friday.

It has called on people not to crowd in public places and not to engage in tourism activities as well as cross border travelling.

Nepal on Thursday recorded 4,831 new cases out of 12,579 polymerase chain reaction tests conducted, and additional 97 positive cases from 963 antigen tests.

The Health Ministry said that 35 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, the highest number of casualties from the coronavirus infection on a single day since the start of the pandemic.

The total number of deaths from the infection reached 3,246 while the active cases of infection stood at 34,117.

On Thursday, 337 people were in intensive care units and another 107 on ventilator support. Of those admitted to the intensive care units, 114 are in the Kathmandu Valley. The Health Ministry said that 58 people have been placed on ventilator support in various hospitals of the Valley.