One more death related to Covid-19 and 476 new infections have been reported in Nepal on Monday, taking the national case tally to 13,248.
With 121 people reported to have recovered from the diseases in the past 24 hours, the number of people who have recuperated from the infection so far has reached 3,134.
The Ministry of Health said that the latest death from the ailment was reported at the Sanepa-based Star Hospital, where swab samples of a 30-year-old man from Fatuwa Bijaypur, Rautahat tested positive for coronavirus.
With the death, the toll from the disease has reached 29.
“The patient was admitted at Star Hospital in Sanepa on June 27 after he had difficulty breathing and was undergoing treatment at the hospital’s intensive care unit,” said Dr Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson for the ministry during a regular press briefing.
“He breathed his last at 8pm the very day after his swab samples were collected and sent for testing. The test results came positive on June 28.” The deceased was suffering from lung ailments and had been receiving treatment at various hospitals for the past three months.
The ministry also confirmed 476 new cases in the past 24 hours across the country. “Samples of 98 individuals from Bajura, 69 from Doti, 58 fr0m Dang, 38 from Argakhanchi, 30 from Kailali, 26 from Palpa, 20 from Gulmi, 18 from Rautahat, 15 from Saptari, 14 from Baglung and 13 from Parbat, tested positive for the virus,” said Gautam.
The ministry said, “Tests conducted on samples of nine persons each from Pyuthan and Tanahun; eight from Syangja, six each from Dhanusa and Kathmandu; five each from Gorkha and Rupandehi; four each from Mahottari and Chitwan, three from Bara, two each from Dhading, Kapilvastu, Dolpa and Kalikot and one each from Morang, Parsa, Bhaktapur, Dhankuta, Khotang, Rolpa, Makwanpur, Kavre, Lalitpur and Rukum (West), also came positive for coronavirus,” Gautam added.
With 1,362 cases, Rautahat district has the most number of infections in the country, followed by Dailekh which has so far reported 776 cases.
“So far, 223,630 polymerase chain reaction tests and 297,871 rapid diagnostic tests have been conducted across the country,” said Gautam.
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.
15.12°C Kathmandu
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