Kathmandu, Oct. 4: Experts have said that the transmission of Coronaviruses through banknotes carries minimal possibility.

They have stressed that the safe use of banknotes must be practised to further reduce the risk of transmission of the Coronavirus that may be present in banknotes.  

According to Dr Bimal Chalise, Senior Consultant at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital (STIDH), there is a presence of nominal viruses in the banknotes, that are powerless against the immunity power of the body. Therefore, the contraction of the virus or any fungus in the human body via the use of banknotes has been rarely observed.

“Even if there is the presence of a virus on currency notes, the life span of them decreases with time. Therefore, it does not pose a grave risk of transmission to the human body,” he said.

Likewise, Dr Amrit Pokhrel, Chief of Emergency and Outbreak Management Section at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) said that 80 per cent of Coronaviruses are transmitted by direct contact and only 20 per cent are spread by indirect contacts.

“Chances of the virus spreading through currency notes, which is in direct contact, is very nominal as the strength of virus, as well as a load of the virus on paper notes, are very minimal,” he said.

Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, Chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku said that though the transmission of the virus through the use of banknotes is negligible individuals are not vigilant around the safe use of banknotes then it will be the agent of transferring Coronavirus.

According to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), currency in circulation from 17 August to 16 September 2021 was Rs 6.63 billion while, it increased to Rs 6.8 billion which is Rs 1.7 billion more for Dashain.

Dev Kumar Dhakal, Spokesperson at the NRB, said that currency in circulation increases during the festival season especially during Dashain season as circulation of money increases among denizens.