By Ajita Rijal
Kathmandu, Aug. 21: The main streets of the Kathmandu Valley remained relatively deserted on Thursday on the first day of the restriction order that strictly prohibited all non-essential movements. The prohibitory order is issued to contain the COVID-19 spread in the capital valley, which has witnessed a resurgence of high number of cases for the past few days.
Public health experts have urged the citizens to abide by the new order and to become alert, conscious and responsible while reminding the people that it is the citizens’ duty to follow the government’s direction for the safety of life.
“It is equally important for us as citizens to be responsible in order to stay safe from the infection. For the sake of protection of lives, it is our duty to support and follow the government’s order even if it adds some hardship for a while,” said Dr. Rabindra Pandey, a public health expert.
“Only through the unity of people and the government, shall we be able to win over this war against COVID-19,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Pandey has urged the government to also strictly monitor and enforce the order by increasing security patrols in the inner streets and areas of Kathmandu rather than just focusing the main roads.
The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) on Thursday confirmed 707 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the COVID-19 national tally to 29,645. Of the new cases, 200 were reported in the Kathmandu Valley. Nepal’s COVID death toll has also reached 126.
Nepal continues to witness resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the recent days. On Wednesday, 681 cases were reported while the highest ever single-day spike of 1,016 new cases were recorded on Tuesday.
Similarly, the Kathmandu Valley has continued to witness relatively higher number of coronavirus cases in the recent days and weeks. Thursday’s 200 cases were detected in the three districts of the valley with highest concentration of caseload in Kathmandu district. Of the 200 cases, 174 cases were from Kathmandu, 18 from Lalitpur and eight from Bhaktapur, according to Dr. Jageshwor Gautam, MoHP Spokesperson.
A total of 564 cases were added in the valley in the three consecutive days, including 159 cases recorded on Wednesday and 205 on Tuesday. Thursday’s number almost close to the Tuesday’s caseload of 205 in the Valley, which is the highest single-day increase so far.
According to the MoHP, the new cases were reported from 52 districts, including the Kathmandu Valley. “Of the 11,832 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests carried out in the past 24 hours, 707 people, including 192 females and 515 males, were found to be infected with the virus,” informed Dr. Gautam at the daily national update briefing today.
Meanwhile, 265 COVID-19 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, after recovering from the virus. They were receiving treatment in various health facilities across the nation. With this, total number of recovered till date has reached 17,964. The recovery rate now stands at 61 per cent, as per MoHP.
Currently, there are 11,555 active cases of COVID-19, of which, 8083 people are in institutional isolation while 3472 people are in home isolation, across the seven states, informed Dr. Gautam. Also, 11,768 persons, mostly those who had returned from abroad, are placed in quarantine.
Six more COVID-19 deaths
Meanwhile, MoHP has confirmed six more new COVID-19 related fatalities on Thursday. Two females and four males succumbed to the virus infection in the last 24 hours.
One male and a female from Kathmandu, one male from Makwanpur, one male from Saptari and a male and female from Parsa died in the last 24 hours while undergoing treatment at various health facilities across the nation. With this, nation’s COVID-19 death toll has reached 126, informed Dr. Gautam.