Nepal’s Covid-19 numbers continue to surge as its biggest festival Dashain approaches – making health authorities fear of a worse situation post festival.
On Wednesday, Nepal recorded the highest rate of COVID-19 infection at 28.54 percent and the highest number of single-day deaths i.e. 31.
Though the Health Ministry reported 26 COVID deaths during the daytime, an additional five people had lost their lives to the virus by midnight Wednesday.
According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Health Ministry, 29 people among every 100 samples have tested positive for COVID-19. According to the Ministry, among the 20,118 PCR tests conducted on Wednesday, 5,743 people were infected.
At present, there are 44,476 or 30.70 percent active cases in the country. Of these, 18,832 are in Kathmandu, 1,308 in Bhaktapur, and 2,989 in Lalitpur. The total number of active infected cases in the Kathmandu Valley alone is 23,129.
Of the total active infected people seen across the country, 52 percent are in the Kathmandu Valley. Of the newly infected people added on Wednesday, 3,107 or 54.10 percent are in the Kathmandu Valley.
As residents leaves Kathmandu Valley to observe the festivities – several districts will reportedly be put at risk following increased movement. Public health officers have urged the public to observe the festival with safety protocols.
Districts with weak health infrastructure could collapse easily if cases were to surge.
Currently, Mustang is the only district with zero active infection. Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Kavre, Kaski, Dang, Rupandehi, Banke, Surkhet and Kailali districts have more than 500 active cases each.
