By Sampada Anuranjanee Khatiwada

Kathmandu, May 17: A sharp increase in national COVID-19 tally in the past few days including a couple of active cases inside Kathmandu Valley has deepened fear among the denizens.
The governmental authorities and the public health experts have been warning that the number of cases could climb further.
“We’ve been scared as the number of COVID-19 cases has been increasing despite the implementation of almost two month-long lockdown,” said Anita Rijal, a resident of Chandragiri Municipality. “After more than 50 days of staying inside, we had anticipated decline in fear of COVID-19.”
Rijal said that the increasing cases of virus in her locality had created a frightful situation. “As soon as we heard the news that locals of our municipality were found to be infected with COVID-19, the threat of infection of virus has massively increased here.”
Rijal said that they had stopped going out of their houses even to buy essential items.
Dr Rabindra Pandey, public health expert, said, “The threat of COVID-19 infection was prevalent ever since the lockdown started, but the surge in the number of cases has certainly made the situation more dreadful.”
People are in utmost fear of COVID-19 because the virus has been spreading like wildfire despite more than 50 days of nationwide lockdown, he added.
Dr Pandey said that fear of coronavirus might lead to mental breakdown in people. “Although the COVID-19 cases are rising, we are not in a dangerous situation,” he said. “The spread of virus can be controlled if the government becomes able to strictly prevent people from entering Nepal through borders.”
The government must assure its citizens that they are safe from COVID-19 as long as they follow all the preventive measures prescribed, said Dr Pandey.
“If we stay in, wash our hands frequently, maintain social distancing and wear full-sleeved clothes while going out, the virus will not be able to infect us,” he added. “Thus, if we focus on adopting all the preventive measures rather than fearing the virus, the virus will not be able to infect us and we will be physically and mentally sound.”
“It is predicted that the coronavirus would enter Nepal from open Indo-Nepal border,” he said. “The virus spread can still be controlled if the borders are sealed with strict gate-keeping.”
Decrease in human movement
Meanwhile, the increase of fear of COVID-19 infection has led to reduction in human movement. Previously, people were seen stepping out of their houses in hordes especially during the morning and evening, but the flow has dropped significantly in the last few days.
“When the lockdown was relaxed allowing private offices to resume their services, no one could possibly differentiate if it was lockdown or a usual working day, looking at the flow of vehicles and people at the Ring Road,” said Achyut Pandey, a pharmacist, who runs a medical shop at Gongabu Chowk.
As soon as cases of COVID-19 were detected within the valley, a

significant drop in human movement has been observed, added Pandey. He added that people had locked themselves in their homes, fearing the infection.
Considering the increasing threat of COVID-19 spread, the government has started to enforce the lockdown stringently.
Superintendent Jeevan Kumar Shrestha, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, said that the flow of vehicles in the valley had decreased following the cancellation of all passes issued by the District Administration Offices (DAOs).
“During two days of relaxation of lockdown, many people had defied lockdown by stepping out of the houses even without any urgency,” said SP Shrestha.
“After the number of COVID-19 cases increased, and the government decided to rescind all passes issued by DAOs, the number of vehicles running on the roads has declined significantly.”
SP Shrestha said that the rapid increase in national COVID-19 tally had instilled fear among the people, thereby leading to limitation in human movement in and outside the valley.
He added that police personnel had been enforcing the lockdown strictly following the rise in fear of virus spread. The traffic police had punished 631 vehicles until 3 PM, Saturday, for defying the lockdown in Kathmandu Valley.