By Sampada Anuranjanee Khatiwada

Kathmandu, Apr. 8: The global outbreak of COVID-19 has been hitting everyone hard, claiming lives of over 74,000 people across the globe. The spread of the virus has certainly been triggered by the concept of globalisation, affecting a huge number of people worldwide.
Many countries are being affected by the virus with daily escalation of death tolls including the United States of America, Australia and many European countries.
As reported by LA Times, around 200,000 Nepalis are currently living in the States.
This implies that lives of a huge number of Nepalis living in the States are likely to be or have already been affected by the global pandemic.
"My dad, who is 75, has been infected by the virus and he is currently battling between life and death," said Suk Bahadur Gurung (name changed), 48, of New York. "I, along with my parents, wife and children had been affected by the virus."
Gurung said that while the rest of his family members recovered within two weeks, his dad's health condition was far from normal. "It is distressing to see the entire world struggling with an invisible yet powerful enemy," he said.
"We are now hopeless about our father's recovery and we urge everyone to adopt all the preventive measures against the fatal virus."
Dr Manisha Upadhyay, 30, a resident doctor at St Joseph Hospital, Illinois, Chicago, said, "Life is getting more difficult in Chicago, with increasing number of positive cases."
"I feel proud to be in the frontline, directly battling with the virus and striving to save lives," said Dr Upadhyay. "However, the fact that we are at greater risk is undeniable."
Upadhyay said that she was working at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital and had directly taken care of around 15 COVID-19 patients.
"The entire world has been facing shortage of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) and our hospital is not an exception to it," said Upadhyay. "We have been using same PPEs every day."
"Being a mother of 18-month old toddler, I am concerned about him. I have been isolating myself from my family members at home, including my son and parents," said Dr Upadhyay.
The virus has been affecting everyone on physical, mental and financial level. There's no way out other than staying in isolation and practising social distancing, said Dr Upadhyay.
"I hope the situation doesn’t deteriorate in Nepal," she added.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of Nepal in Washington DC has endorsed a COVID-19 Stress Management Information Desk, with a group of volunteer professionals striving for supporting stress management for Nepali healthcare professionals and others directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Likewise, Rona Dhakal, 26, a practicing nurse at a Melbourne-based hospital in Australia, said that the threat of the virus had worsened the condition of Nepalis, especially the students.
"It is difficult to find jobs for Nepali students in Australia; on top of that the COVID-19 pandemic has made life even more difficult," added Dhakal. "I am sure that many Nepalis would fly

back to Nepal, if allowed."
The situation is not at all different in European countries. "One of my friends here has tested positive for the virus and his entire family is in terrible situation," said Surendra Pudasaini from Lisbon, Portugal. "Even though he is recovering, the condition here is fearful."
Everybody has been losing their jobs and it is becoming difficult to ensure our hand-to-mouth existence here in Portugal, said Pudasaini.
He said that he had decided to sell his house in Lisbon and shift to a rented house as all of his family members had lost their jobs to the pandemic.
Both Dhakal and Pudasaini said that many Nepalis residing abroad would be relieved if Nepal government rescued them in coordination with the governments of the concerned nations.