By Ajita Rijal
Kathmandu, Aug. 26: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) on Tuesday confirmed 855 new cases of COVID-19 in the country in the past 24 hours. In addition, seven more deaths were reported. With this, the COVID-19 national tally has reached 33,533, with 164 deaths and 19,119 cases of recovery.
Of the total new cases, 232 were recorded in the Kathmandu Valley, the highest single-day tally reported till now. Of the 232 cases, 199 were detected in Kathmandu, 19 in Lalitpur and 14 in Bhaktapur districts, informed Dr. Jageshwor Gautam, MoHP Spokesperson at the daily briefing on Tuesday.
Today’s 855 new cases were detected through 11,327 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests carried out in the past 24 hours at laboratories across the nation, said Dr. Gautam.
Meanwhile, 313 COVID-19 patients recovered and were discharged from health facilities in the past 24 hours. With this, the total number of recovered has reached 19,119. The recovery rate now stands at 57 per cent.
Currently, there are 14,250 active cases of infection in the country while 10,453 people are under quarantine. Of the total active cases, 8,581 people are under institutional isolation while 5,669 are under home isolation.
Meanwhile, the MoHP confirmed seven new COVID-19 fatalities on Tuesday. One female and six males have died in the last 24 hours, said Dr. Gautam. Three of them were from Kathmandu, and one each from Rupandehi, Siraha, Parsa and Dhanusa districts.
According to the MoHP, a 71-year old female and two males aged 74 and 66 years of Kathmandu, a 53-year old male of Rupandehi, a 22-year-old male of Siraha, a 68-year old male of Parsa and a 74-year old male of Dhanusha have succumbed to the virus. With this total death toll has reached 164.
Respect health workers
Doctors and healthcare workers are working tirelessly in the service of people day-in-day-out by even keeping their own life at risk and thus they deserve high respect. In addition, the infected people also need high support and care from the society to get cure from the COVID-19.
Speaking at the MoHP daily briefing today, president of Nepal Medical Association (NMA) Dr.

Lochan Karki said it was condemnable to hear recent incidents of disrespect and misbehaviour against the health workers.
“While most people are staying within the comfort of their own homes, we, the doctors and healthcare workers are fighting in the front line against COVID-19 every day, and serving people, so we expect everyone’s support, cooperation. We thank you and hope you will continue to help us build our morale,” said Dr. Karki.
“Despite this, we get to hear very tragic incidents meted out against doctors and health workers in various places, including even in the country’s capital city. This is highly condemnable. The other recent incidents which occurred in Birgunj or in Chitwan or the mistreatment by landlords or neighbours against health professionals are sad and unacceptable,” he added.
Dr. Karki urged everyone to understand and follow precautions, which the MoHP has been clarifying repeatedly about safety precautions and health protocols to adopt in order to stay safe. Many people have stayed under home isolation and recovered without infecting any of the family members, he added.
“Please do not panic, you don’t get infected from the window or veranda of your neighbours’ house located across the road,” said Dr. Karki. If we follow and maintain proper health safety protocols such as maintaining proper social distance, wearing masks, properly washing hands with soap or using sanitizers, it will help prevent us from infection” Dr. Karki said.
He further added, “It’s not a crime to be infected, anyone can be infected tomorrow. Whoever is misbehaving with the doctors today can also become infected tomorrow. For him/her, the ultimate place to go to seek treatment is the hospital and meet the same doctors and health workers. So imagine, what if you don’t have enough doctors to treat tomorrow, in which case this disease will take another scary turn.” He urged every citizen to understand the gravity of the pandemic and use conscience.
Meanwhile, Dr. Karki also warned of the grave consequences of misbehaviour meted out against those infected saying it could spread like bush fire. “If misbehaviour against those infected continues, tomorrow people will start hiding their identity and not come into contact for contact tracing, they will not go for testing, we will not be able to trace positive people because of the same fear of being ostracised by neighbours, such situation will harm us.”
Dr. Karki requested the government for full safety of health professionals as per the law such as Health Professional Protection Act-2066 as well as the Cabinet decision of March 2020 to protect health professionals against those hindering health services.
Meanwhile, addressing today’s briefing, Dr. Jos Vandelaer, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Nepal, said that the currently seen resurgence could be just a start and the situation could get worse in the coming weeks and months. Cases are increasing and so is risk, however, he urged everyone not to panic.
“Just because we see cases in our neighborhood, we should not panic and it does not mean everyone is going to get infected,” said Dr. Vandelaer.
On the occasion, he said that WHO in Nepal was working hand in hand with the government in COVID-19 response, including providing support in monitoring, data collection, capacity building and ensuring quality of laboratories as well as in the logistics front. WHO is also providing support at the state level in the COVID response, he said.