LOGIN DASHBOARD

    COVID19

    Features

    4 MIN READ

    Nepal confirms record increase of 26 deaths and 5,743 new cases in a single day

    The Record, October 21, 2020, Kathmandu

    Nepal confirms record increase of 26 deaths and 5,743 new cases in a single day

      Share this article

    On the eve of Dashain, the nation records yet another highest single daily rise in Covid cases

    (The Record)

    Nepal recorded 26 deaths — the highest single day record till date — in the past 24 hours.

    The increased death count coincides with the government’s decision to only pay for the Covid-19 testing and treatment of the poor, persons with disabilities, single women, senior citizens, and frontline workers.

    Public health experts have been calling attention to the government’s decision to downplay the number of deaths caused by the virus. In September, they also widely criticized the government’s decision to not test people for the coronavirus after death, even when the deceased were suspected of being infected. While the government’s strategy was effective in keeping the number of deaths caused by the virus at a false minimum, it has inadvertently contributed to the accelerated spread of Covid-19.

    According to experts, the government will no longer be able to downplay the number of deaths once daily infection detections have shot off the roof and the number of coronavirus-induced deaths has soared. On Wednesday, Nepal recorded 5,743 new cases, setting yet another record. As hospitals fill up with Covid patients, private hospitals have been asked to allocate at least 50 percent of their beds for Covid treatment as government hospitals have already been converted to dedicated Covid hospitals. The government has also decided to build new crematoriums in Kathmandu and to hire additional manpower for funeral services in preparation for a swelling death count. 

    “This turn of events was expected. Functional ventilators are in short supply and people are being asked to bear the cost of tests and treatments themselves. Furthermore, patients are being asked by hospitals to make upfront payments which isn’t feasible for the majority of the population,” said epidemiologist Dr Lhamo Sherpa.

    The government has made one wrong decision after another in its handling of the pandemic. In the beginning of the pandemic, it failed to effectively contain the virus even after imposing a five-month long lockdown, and has now lifted the lockdown without a concrete plan of action. Instead of combatting the virus, the government has begun to cave in as evident in its decision to not collect samples from the bodies of the deceased for PCR tests, and by allowing bus services to operate filling up seats in short and long-distance services in complete disregard to the public health safety protocol of maintaining social distancing. The government had initially asked the public to self-isolate and get PCR testing done before and after travel. However, this has not been effectively implemented in the pretext of Dashain, the biggest festival for Hindus in Nepal.

    Read also: Govt recklessly loosens mass-transit restrictions

    People are traveling without any tests or quarantine. This will enable the virus to travel with them to the villages, experts warned.

    “Neither testing nor treatment is free, even if the government has claimed otherwise. The public has to submit proof of poverty or disability, which further creates obstacles in receiving such services. Unlike other diseases, Covid cases can deteriorate within the span of a few days so the likelihood of people dying without receiving adequate treatment or testing is higher,” Dr Sherpa told The Record.

    The escalating death count is thus the result of a combination of ineffective policies, the unavailability of adequate treatment, and a lack of support from the government in the prevention and treatment of the disease. The situation is likely to further worsen in the winter when people tend to live in closed spaces, said Dr Sherpa.

    Nepal hit the 5,000 mark in a single day on October 10, totalling 105,684 cases. The government ignored the alarming surge, however, and decided to scale down testing. After 10 days, the number of cases has surpassed 144,000, with daily increases averaging at around 4,000 cases.

    On Wednesday, Nepal set a new record in the number of PCR tests executed as a record 20,118 PCR tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. The government claims its capacity to conduct PCR tests is even higher at 26,000 tests even if the average daily number of tests conducted has hovered at 12,000 per day for a while.

    Kathmandu Valley also observed a record high in the number of coronavirus cases detected in a single day with 2,391 new cases in Kathmandu, 543 in Lalitpur and 173 in Bhaktapur. This has brought the number of confirmed cases in the Valley to over 60,000 with 23,129 active cases, which makes up more than half of the national total number of active cases that looms at 44,776.

    According to the Ministry of Health and Population, a total of 269 Covid patients are currently being treated in intensive care units across the nation while 87 others are on ventilator support.



    author bio photo

    The Record  We are an independent digital publication based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Our stories examine politics, the economy, society, and culture. We look into events both current and past, offering depth, analysis, and perspective. Explore our features, explainers, long reads, multimedia stories, and podcasts. There’s something here for everyone.



    Comments

    Get the best of

    the Record

    Previous Next

    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

    Features

    7 min read

    Gulabi Sambad: Discussing what needs discussion

    Prasansha Rimal - May 23, 2022

    One podcast hopes to provide a safe, open space for young people to talk about menstruation, consent, and sexual and reproductive health. 

    Features

    5 min read

    Choking city

    Shuvam Rizal - January 12, 2021

    Kathmandu air pollution will have long-term impacts not just on public health but also on individual cognition and the national economy.

    COVID19

    Features

    3 min read

    A man returning home on foot dies in desperation instead

    The Record - April 17, 2020

    Nepal’s first Covid19 death was not caused by the coronavirus

    COVID19

    3 min read

    Covid19 Roundup, 26 April: Lockdown extended till 7 May as cases reach 52

    The Record - April 26, 2020

    A daily summary of all Covid19 related developments that matter

    Features

    COVID19

    5 min read

    Swindled sugarcane farmers stage protests in the Capital amidst Covid crisis

    The Record - December 13, 2020

    After suffering injustice for years, the farmers have finally descended on Kathmandu to press their demands

    COVID19

    Perspectives

    12 min read

    Lockdown Blues

    Ayushma Regmi - March 30, 2020

    As a mental health crisis unravels on many fronts, how do we cope?

    COVID19

    Features

    4 min read

    Nepal readies vaccines for the elderly but many are hesitant

    Ishita Shahi - March 4, 2021

    Misinformation regarding the vaccine’s side-effects is spreading and without a concerted counter campaign, such false information will only proliferate.

    COVID19

    6 min read

    Local authorities are pushing contact tracing, but many residents believe it is too little, too late

    Aishwarya Baidar - May 7, 2021

    Contact tracing is vital in breaking the chain of transmission, but Valley residents are not convinced the authorities will be of any help when necessary.

    • About
    • Contributors
    • Jobs
    • Contact

    CONNECT WITH US

    © Copyright the Record | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy