By Ishwar Chandra Jha, Kathmandu, Sept. 9: The recovery rate from the novel coronavirus has been increasing in Nepal of late. In the last five days, over 9,000 COVID-19 patients across the nation were discharged after recovering from the virus infection.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) recorded the highest single-day recovery of 2,287 COVID-19 patients. 

Although the daily infection rate is increasing steadily in the past few days, the recovery rate has also been on the rise simultaneously.

According to the MoHP, some 9,675 novel coronavirus infected patients were discharged after recovering from the virus from Friday, September 4 to Wednesday, September 9.

Meanwhile, some 6,342 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the same period.

The recovery rate, which had fallen to 52 per cent on the third week of the month of Bhadra, has now increased to 68.8 per cent.

Dr. Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson of the MoHP, said that the recovery rate is increasing in those who have been staying in home isolation and institutional isolation.

Dr. Rabindra Pandey, a public health specialist, on the other hand, said that the recovery rate was dependent upon the average age group and medical condition of the patients.

Till today, Nepal has recorded 49,219 cases of COVID-19, of which, around 37,000 patients belong to the active age group, i.e., from 21-50 years.

"The recovery rate is mildly influenced by the availability of Intensive Care Units (ICUs), oxygen support and doctors' consultation which leads to prevention of COVID-19 deaths," added Dr. Pandey.

"There is no dedicated treatment of COVID-19. The majority of patients have defeated the virus infection by themselves while staying at home isolation or institutional isolation," he added.

Many COVID-19 patients succumbed to the virus infection in State 2 for the lack of a thorough treatment.

Highlighting that the lives of each and every citizen were important, Dr. Pandey stated that the doctors' consultation, oxygen facilities, ICU and ventilator facilities should be increased in isolation centers and hospitals.

The COVID-19 patients have been complaining about the delay in medical services in the isolation centers. Currently, 15,025 virus patients are in isolation, of which, 7,037 are in home isolation.

The number of patients staying in institutional isolation (hospitals) is higher in Kathmandu.

The spread of COVID-19 has not yet come under control in Nepal. Although the recovery rate is increasing, the infection rate is also increasing steadily.

Dr. Pandey said that in this situation, the government must address the need for medical facilities, consultation facilities in the hospitals across the nation.