The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) on Monday confirmed 1,281 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single day spike in the recent months. Of the new infected, 528 individuals are aged between 20 and 39 years.
With this the national COVID-19 tally has reached 285,900. Among 5,084 RT-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), tests conducted in the 85 laboratories across the nation, 456 female and 771 male were tested positive for COVID-19, according to the MoHP.
Likewise, 54 other cases were confirmed through 547 antigen tests conducted in the past 24 hours at the health desks set up in the entry points of nine bordering districts.
Of the new infections, 634 were recorded in the Kathmandu Valley’s three districts, including 32 in Bhaktapur, 97 in Lalitpur and 505 in Kathmandu, informed the MoHP.
In the past 24 hours, 692 new infections were recorded in Bagmati Province, 85 in Gandaki, 204 in Lumbini, 64 in Province 1, 80 in Province 2, 94 in Sudurpaschim and eight in Karnali province.
Currently, there are 7,254 active cases of COVID-19 across the nation. Of them, 587 patients are admitted to various institutional isolation and 6,667 are placed in home isolation, shared the MoHP in its daily briefing. Likewise, 81 people are placed in quarantine.
As of Monday, 148 individuals infected with the virus are being treated in intensive care units across the country. Likewise, 43 including 27 in Bagmati, 10 in Lumbini, two in Sudurpaschim, two in Karnali and one each in Province 1 and Gandaki are receiving treatment with ventilator support.
Meanwhile, 225 COVID-19 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours. Nepal has now recorded 275,555 cases of recovery and the recovery rate is at 96.04 per cent.
Likewise, eight more COVID-19 related fatalities were reported today and with this, the national death toll has climbed to 3,091.
Second dose of vaccine from today
The government is launching the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine from Tuesday. The second-dose vaccination drive is targeted for those who had received the first dose from January 27 to February 2.
Dr. Jhalak Sharma Gautam, chief of Child Health and Vaccination Section, Department of Health Services, said that the second dose of Covishield would be provided to those who had received the first dose.
The receivers of first-dose of ‘Covishield’ vaccine can visit the vaccination centers convenient for them from April 20 to 24 to take the second dose.
The government had administered the Covishield vaccine received from the Indian government under its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme. According to the MoHP, about 1.8 million people had received the first dose.
‘Vero Cell’ administered to 123,000 people
According to the MoHP, ‘Vero Cell’, the Chinese vaccine against COVID-19 was administered to 123,000 people.
People of 40-59 age groups from Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Kavrepalanchowk and Sindhupalchowk received the vaccine from April 7- 17.
Vero Cell was administered to those involved in the operation of emergency services, traders working across the Sino-Nepal border, and Nepali students studying in China or preparing to pursue education with Chinese scholarship.
The China-manufactured vaccine was provided to the frontline health workers, and staffers of hotels, trekking agencies, advertisement sector, and internet providers. Likewise, professors, sellers of medicines, fruits and vegetables were also inoculated the vaccine.
Source : THE RISING NEPAL,
