By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, May 19: The government on Tuesday said that a total of 386 COVID-19-dedicated hospitals have come into operation across the country for the treatment of those infected with the coronavirus.
"In these hospitals, the government has managed 17,000 general beds and the number of beds is increasing every day," Kiran Raj Sharma, Joint Secretary and spokesperson for the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM), said.
For special care and treatment of serious COVID-19 patients, the government has arranged 600 ventilators, 1,999 ICU beds and 2,500 HDUs across the country as of Tuesday, according to Sharma. In the last 24 hours, 3,161 Nepalis have entered Nepal from various border points of the country, according to information of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to the update received by the OPMCM, so far, different District Administration Offices have received 8,909 oxygen cylinders from various sources and of them, 7,726 have been distributed to different hospitals in the last 24 hours.
Ministry of Commerce, Supplies and Industry have also reported to the OPMCM that in the last 24 hours, it has distributed 16,319 refilled oxygen cylinders to different hospitals. Of the total refilled cylinders, 8,123 were collected from nine factories in the Valley and 8,198 from 19 factories located outside.
According to the update, the government as of Monday evening has food stock of 276,746.94 quintals, with 50,000 metric tonnes of sugar with private sectors. "There has been no such barrier in the import, export, supply and distribution of foods and food-related other goods," said Sharma.
In the last 24 hours, the government has also imported 2,259,158 pieces of medical supplies to treat COVID-19 patients, along with 53,124 quantities of medicines.
The government has also airlifted 178 foreigners from Lukla and Pokhara.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also reported to the OPMCM that Spain’s COVID-19 aid will enter the country on May 20.
The Spain government itself is sending a special chartered air flight of Iberia Airlines carrying COVID-19 assistance.