More

    All hands on the deck as Omicron stalks Nepal

    HealthCOVID-19All hands on the deck as Omicron stalks Nepal
    - Advertisment -

    All hands on the deck as Omicron stalks Nepal

    As the Omicron virus spreads across the country, the government of Nepal isn’t taking chances. The government today took a series of decisions from banning worship in temples to procuring COVID-19 testing kits to importing vaccines.

    Nepal is staring at a likely third wave of COVID-19 and the government has brought forth a slew of measures. Since the detection of the first Omicron infection in the country in December 2021, the virus is now at its infectious worst, infecting health personnel, media persons, bankers, sportspersons, employees, professionals, shopkeepers or homemakers.

    8,730 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Tuesday. These include 35 employees of the Supreme Court of Nepal tested positive for COVID-19.

    117 doctors and health workers of different hospitals in Chitwan district have tested positive for coronavirus. 30 doctors from the Nuwakot district are also infected.

    - Advertisement -

    Nuwakot district’s medical superintendent, Dipendra Pande said nurses, paramedics and lab technicians too have been found positive for coronavirus.” Gynaecology and obstetrics services too have been halted and the hospital has issued a notice and informing people of the closure of services, he said.

    According to reports, the infection rate per 15,000 tests has touched over 4,000 on Sunday. Active cases have crossed 25,500 on the WHO COVID-19 dashboard and seven people have been reported to have died.

    Lockdowns, vaccines and testing kits

    The sharp increase in disease today compelled the government to further impose lockdowns.

    All the three district administration in the Kathmandu valley have banned all worship till the middle of February. It is now mandatory for people entering premises of government offices to display their vaccination cards.

    The government began work today to procure 900,000 COVID-19 testing kits.
    Addressing the ninth meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Monday, Prime Minister Deuba expressed his worry about Omicron’s rapid spread through the country.

    Sources say that the government is wary of any repeat of the flack it faced for its handling of the pandemic’s second wave in April 2021. Hospitals and medical personnel were then overwhelmed as people died for want of oxygen.

    Deuba directed the Ministry of Health and Population to immediately import enough COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate all Nepali citizens.

    So far, only 39 per cent have received both doses of the vaccine, according to the WHO COVID-19 dashboard.

    - Advertisement -

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Latest news

    Bangladesh: WB Approves $270m to Support Flood Recovery Efforts

    This project will help the country recover from this flood and build resilience to future floods by addressing damages to infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods in Eastern districts.

    Requiem for a Glacier: Tribute Held in Nepal for One Of The Hindu Kush Himalaya’s Most-Studied Rivers of Ice

    The stones left at the base of the glacier carry messages by two world-famous authors, Manjushree Thapa and Andri Snaer Magnason, in English, Nepali and locally spoken Tibetan.

    High Costs Keep Sri Lanka’s Poor Children Out of Pre-Primary Education, Warns Human Rights Watch

    An overwhelming number of Sri Lankan households subsist on less than Rs. 1000 a day, or roughly Rs. 30,000 a month. These families are compelled to make impossible choices – often between food and education – leading many to defer or forgo early education for their children.

    Nepal: Kathmandu’s Monsoon Preparedness Draws Concern Amidst Rising Disaster Risks

    From inadequate rescue equipment and poor inter-agency coordination to health vulnerabilities and absent local representatives, the Kathmandu Valley is staring down a potentially dangerous monsoon season.
    - Advertisement -

    Nepal Moves to Transform Prisons into Industrial Villages Amid Calls for Reform

    In a significant push to reform Nepal’s prison system, Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has vowed to transform correctional facilities across the country into "industrial villages" aimed at rehabilitation, productivity, and human rights.

    Marching Towards Multi-hazard Risks in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

    The MHRA hackathon brought together experts, early career professionals, and students with a background in modelling to form interdisciplinary groups to MHRA case studies.

    Must read

    Bangladesh: WB Approves $270m to Support Flood Recovery Efforts

    This project will help the country recover from this flood and build resilience to future floods by addressing damages to infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods in Eastern districts.

    Requiem for a Glacier: Tribute Held in Nepal for One Of The Hindu Kush Himalaya’s Most-Studied Rivers of Ice

    The stones left at the base of the glacier carry messages by two world-famous authors, Manjushree Thapa and Andri Snaer Magnason, in English, Nepali and locally spoken Tibetan.
    - Advertisement -

    More from the sectionRELATED
    Recommended to you