By Ajita Rijal, Kathmandu, May 10. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has requested hospitals and healthcare institutions nationwide to resume outpatient department (OPD) services as well as public health programs including vaccination, by taking all necessary safety precautions.

The cabinet meeting last week had decided to resume essential health services.

“As also decided by the cabinet, MoHP would like to reiterate on the need to provide various regular health services and requests concerned stakeholders to resume OPD and other health care services including vaccination, nutrition, family planning and safe motherhood,” said Dr. Bikash Devkota, MoHP Spokesperson at the daily press briefing.

He further said that, keeping in view that regular health services were interrupted during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, whereby common citizens could not access essential health care services.

At this time of COVID, the non-COVID emergency patient services as well as other types of health care required from public health perspective should be fully accorded to all people, Dr. Devkota added.

COVID-19 tally reaches 110

With one more new case of a female testing positive on Sunday, the total COVID-19 cases in Nepal have reached 110, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) confirmed.  Of the 110, 31 have recovered and returned home; and no COVID-19 death is reported in Nepal till date.  

The new 43-year-old female from Bhulke, Udaypur district tested positive on the tests conducted at Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar, informed Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, Deputy Spokesperson of MoHP.

The state-wise distribution of the total 110 cases indicates State 1 has the highest with 35 cases followed by State 2 with 31 and State 5 with 30. Likewise, Bagmati State has seven, Sudurpaschim state has five and Gandaki State has two cases. Karnali State has not yet reported any case of COVID-19, shared Dr. Bikas Devkota, MoHP spokesperson at the daily press briefing.

The number of PCR sample tests carried out nationwide has reached 16,898. Likewise, 56,550 Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) have been conducted in the seven states with 1,316 RDT conducted in the past 24 hours, said Dr. Devkota.

According to MoHP, a total of 13,625 people are under quarantine in the seven states.

As per the latest update, a total of 164 potentially infected people are admitted to isolation wards in various hospitals including three in Kathmandu valley and 161 outside Kathmandu.