Attachments
National Context:
• The districts with COVID-19 active positive cases have now climbed up to 76 out of 77, with 1,716 deaths. In the past week alone, there were around 100 COVID-19 related deaths across Nepal (Ministry of Health and Population – MoHP).
• The Government of Nepal (GoN) has made a plan to inoculate 72 per cent of the country’s total population against COVID-19. Vaccine has not been tested on children so far and the plan is to vaccinate all except the children, according to the MOHP.
• A study has shown that 13.9 per cent of COVID-19 infections were found at the community level. The study conducted by the Epidemiology and Communicable Disease Control Division (EDCD) under the MoHP, with the assistance of WHO reached to this conclusion. Seroprevalence survey was conducted after antibody test to ascertain whether the COVID-19 had spread at the community level. Province 2 and Bagmati Province were found more vulnerable (National News Agency, RSS).
• While Local Governments (LG) and schools say safety measures are in place, experts warn children may carry the disease to their grandparents who fall in the most vulnerable category; following the preparation to reopen schools in Kathmandu valley.
• A total of 513 deceased are missing from the MoHP’s list, of people dying from COVID-19 infection. A committee formed by the GoN to find out the exact number of deaths from COVID-19 has confirmed that the names of 513 people have been left out of the statistics of the MoHP till 15 October 2020 (Focused C19 Media Monitoring Nepal, 13 DEC 2020, WHO Nepal/Nayapatrika).
• Flights between Nepal and India are expected to begin from 17 December, pending approvals from the airport authorities of both countries, under an air bubble arrangement. Nepal Airlines has asked Indian authorities to waive quarantine requirements for Nepali passengers besides allowing them to reuse their negative test reports for the return flight, if they are flying back within 72 hours.