It is a matter of worry that the number of cases related to the novel coronavirus in Nepal has been increasing steadily over the last couple of days. Till date, the number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 has reached 45. A total of 11 new cases were detected on Tuesday alone in the vicinity of Bhulke Mosque, which is located in Triyuga Municipality of Updayapur district. Virus screening efforts have been intensified in the area after 13 persons staying at the mosque were tested positive for the deadly virus last week. Eleven of them were Indian nationals while the remaining two were local residents of Udayapur district. The infected are now undergoing treatment at the Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar. Suspecting that there might be more local transmissions from those persons, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and other stakeholders have stepped up testing. To contain the possible spread of the virus, the State 1 government has sealed the Udayapur district. Until now, Udayapur has emerged as the most coronavirus-hit district in the country with a total of 24 cases.  

Despite this, it is noteworthy that the country is yet to report any fatality from the deadly virus. Five of the total COVID-19 patients have already been discharged from hospitals after recovery. The condition of the remaining patients, who have been undergoing treatment at different hospitals, is also normal. The Government of Nepal has expanded testing across the country to detect cases of the virus. But the virus screening campaign has failed to move ahead as efficiently as it should have been because of lack of adequate medical equipment and well-trained human resources. However, the process of procuring necessary medical equipment and kits has been initiated. According to a news report published in this daily on Wednesday, the Nepali Army has signed an agreement with China Sino-Farm International Corporation, a state-owned company of China, for the procurement of medical equipment and kits. They will be used for the diagnosis of coronavirus infections and treatment. The Nepali Army has moved this process ahead by inking the Rs. 2.25 billion deal. The payment for the goods was made to the Chinese company from the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) with the consent of the Ministry of Finance.

In line with a Cabinet decision taken on March 29, the agreement to procure medical goods from China was made under the government-to-government model. As per the deal, the Nepali Army is going to import the first lot of essential and prioritised medical equipment within a week. The total weight of the medical supplies will be 342 tons. The goods include 67 items. The country will receive more than 200,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE). The demand for PPE is very high not only in Nepal but also worldwide as it is alifesaving equipment for doctors and other health workers. The Chinese company exports medical equipment to 80 countries worldwide. As the goods have been certified by National Medical Product Administration (NMPA) of China, they are expected to meet quality standards. They will be of great help for the country to contain the COVID-19 transmission and to treat the infected.