The government has swung into action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that is wreaking havoc across continents. It has taken sweeping measures, including a nationwide lockdown, to rein in the contagion. By and large, the nation has been able to check the potential breakout of the coronavirus that first swept through the Chinese city of Wuhan and then reached other parts of the globe. To date, altogether five cases of coronavirus have been detected in the country. One case appeared outside the Kathmandu Valley. Of the four, one has already recovered. The remaining three are being treated with intensive care and have not yet developed serious health complications. According to a news report published by this daily, the government hospitals are now taking care of 13 suspected COVID-19 patients.
There is one commonality among the four cases of virus infection. All had come from abroad. They might have come into contact with many people in Nepal but the health authorities say the virus has not been transmitted to local people so far. The government has completed contact tracing of all persons who had come into contact with the infected persons. The authorities have been in regular touch with them and no one has shown the symptoms of the virus.
In the best likelihood, the country is in the first phase of coronavirus infection. It is pulling out all stops to prevent the virus from developing into the second, third or fourth phases. Under the first phase, the virus enters the country from people coming from abroad. In the second phase, the infected persons transmit it to the local people. But in the third and fourth stages, the virus infection becomes very dangerous and, most probably, goes out of control. When the infection enters the third stage, the local infected persons become virus carriers, spreading it to cities and villages. Innocent and unsuspecting people start falling prey to the disease. Then after, it no longer remains as epidemic or endemic. The final and worst phase of the infection is pandemic. By the time it takes this pandemic proportion, the affected countries stumble or cry for international support to save the lives of their people.
Hence, Nepal now stands at a critical moment of its history. The time demands that the government, political parties, civil society and common people act with a sense of unity, solidarity and seriousness. This is the time for all to demonstrate self-restraint and discipline. It is everyone’s duty to abide by the government’s orders and policy adopted to avert the spread of COVID-19. Against this backdrop, chairman of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) KP Sharma Oli, the prime minister, and the party co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda have called upon all party leaders and workers to get actively engaged in fighting the spread of the virus. In a joint statement, they have urged all fellow citizens to tackle the looming danger of virus by displaying an unprecedented level of national unity. Responding to their call, it is imperative for all to refrain from indulging in misleading publicity and rumour-mongering, and extend a helping hand to everyone involved in bolstering the campaign to stamp out the possibility of the virus creating a pandemic havoc in the country.