7,388 new cases of COVID-19 and 37 fatalities in 24 hours; PM hints making lock-down strict

Kathmandu / May 3: The Ministry of Health and Population on Monday confirmed 7,388 new cases of COVID-19, taking the nation’s novel coronavirus tally to 343,418. This is the highest single-day rise in the COVID-19 tally reported in the nation until now.

In 16,658 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the past 24 hours, 7,388 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2, informed the Health Ministry in its daily update.

Likewise, out of 518 antigen tests done in the 24 hours, the virus infection was detected in 60 people.

Currently, there are 54,041 active cases of COVID-19 across the nation of which, 3,869 patients are admitted to various institutional isolations and 50,172 are placed in home isolation. Likewise, 212 people mostly those who had returned from abroad, are placed in quarantine.

Of the active patients, 578 are admitted to the ICU and 142 are receiving treatment under ventilator facility.

Meanwhile, 2,021 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in institutional isolation or staying in home isolation recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours. Nepal has now recorded 286,015 cases of recovery and the recovery rate is at 83.3 per cent.

Moreover, 37 COVID-19 related fatalities were confirmed across the nation in the last 24 hours. The nation’s COVID-19 death toll is at 3,362.

Prohibitory order will be enforced strictly: Prime Minister

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government had decided to impose prohibitory order to prevent and control the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as per the recommendations of the public health experts.

Addressing the nation on Monday afternoon, the ongoing prohibitory order would be implemented strictly to break the chain of the spread of the virus.

“In the current scenario, when over 7,000 are being infected with the virus daily, protection of peoples’ lives is our first priority,” said the Prime Minister.

He added that the formation COVID-19 Crisis Management Committee and nationwide lockdown imposed last year had helped a lot in controlling the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Oli also informed that 2.1 million Nepalis had already been vaccinated of which, 370,000 had received a second dose as well.

Full text of the Prime Minister’s speech

Protection of human lives is supreme for us. Life comes first of all other considerations. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Nepal has given the highest priority to its prevention, control, and treatment.

We have strengthened our health infrastructure facilities, widened test coverage, enhanced health personnel’s capacity, and started vaccinating people. We received meaningful support from our friends and well-wishers over the last 14 months, which helped us a lot in containing, preventing the disease, and for treatment of the people.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all the support we have received in this course. Despite our utmost effort, the second wave of COVID has severely hit the country with an increased number of infected people and mortality rate. I am aware that this invisible enemy has tested our ability and exposed our vulnerability globally. But I do believe that this deadly disease can be overcome through our collective efforts. We are of the view that vaccines and critical care medicines are global goods and everyone should have access to it.

Since we are living in an interconnected and interlinked world, pandemics like this spares no one and no one is safe. It is in this vein I would like to request our neighbours, friendly countries, and international organisations to help us with Vaccines, Diagnostic equipment and kits, Oxygen therapy, Critical care medicines, and Critical care furniture to support our ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic.

Thank you !