Kathmandu, Oct. 7: The government has urged high alert among the Kathmandu folks due to the growing risk of COVID-19 in the Kathmandu Valley lately.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and spokesperson of the government, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali appealed one and all in the Valley in a press meet organized here at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology today to make public the decisions of the cabinet meeting held on October 5.

Minister Gyawali further said that among the total new COVID-19 cases being reported across the country every day, around half of them were from the Valley.

Kathmandu Valley was still at higher risk of COVID-19 although the deadly infection was gradually being contained in many of the places across the country.

“It is imperative for the Kathmandu Valley folks to observe precaution against the COVID-19 due to the increasing cases of the Coronavirus in the Valley,” cautioned the Minister, warning, “If the infection goes out of our control, it could wreak havoc to us as the Valley is home to more than four million people.”

He urged one and all to maintain health safety protocols put in place by the government to stem the spread of the flu-like infection.

On a different note, the Minister appealed the public to take into account the risks of COVID-19 among the elderly persons while approaching them during the upcoming festivals during which we receive tika and blessings from the elderly persons in the family.

The elderly persons, chronic patients and children were most vulnerable to the infection.

The Minister argued, "The important aspect of Dashain is the reunion with family members and receiving tika and blessings. But the elderly members of the family could be at higher risk of COVID-19. We must be sensitive towards the health safety issues of the elderly ones and those already suffering from the chronic disease.”

The COVID-19 casualties were mostly people above 60 years in the country.