By Ajita Rijal
Kathmandu, May 7: Nepal has been witnessing a massive resurgence of COVID-19 cases since mid-April. On Thursday, the country witnessed a record high of 9,070 cases with 54 fatalities.
It was the fifth consecutive day the country reported more than 7,000 new cases in a day. On Wednesday, it recorded 8,605 cases and 58 deaths; on Tuesday, 7,587 cases and 55 deaths; on Monday 7,388 cases and 37 deaths and on Sunday 7,137 cases and 27 deaths.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the nation’s COVID-19 death toll has now climbed to 3,529 and the pandemic tally to 368,580.
According to the MoHP, a total of 292,490 infected people recovered from the disease with 2,707 recoveries in the past 24 hours.
The Kathmandu Valley recorded 3,163 new infections in the past 24 hours. Of them, 3,163 cases were confirmed in Kathmandu, 567 in Lalitpur and 242 in Bhaktapur.
In the past 24 hours, 4,519 new infections were recorded in Bagmati Province, 610 in Gandaki, 2,165 in Lumbini, 612 in Province 1 and 473 in Province 2. Likewise, 311 cases were reported from Sudurpaschim and 280 from Karnali province.
A total of 21,142 PCR and 775 antigen tests were performed in the past 24 hours, according to the MoHP.
According to the MoHP, Nepal now has 72,561 active cases of COVID-19. Of them, 5,315 patients are admitted to various institutional isolations and 67,246 are placed in home isolation.
Of the active patients, 652 are admitted to the ICU and 201 are receiving treatment with ventilator support.
According to the MoHP, 1,406 ICU beds are now available across the nation with 566 ventilators.
Likewise, 314 people, mostly those who had returned from abroad, are placed in quarantine. 
The latest MOHP data show that youths falling in 20-29 and 30-39 age groups form the biggest chunk of the coronavirus-infected people.
Among the total infected on Thursday, 2,193 falls in 20-29 age group and 2,234 in 30-39 age group.
Similarly, 1,569 cases were detected in 40-49 age group, 1,568 in 50-59 age group, 580 in 60-69 age group and 366 in 70 plus age group.
Similarly, 229 cases were detected in children aged 0-9 years and 588 in 10-19 years old.
Meanwhile, the MoHP has warned that those stocking oxygen cylinders unnecessarily would be punished strictly.
Addressing the complaints about unnecessary storage of oxygen cylinders amid their shortages at the hospitals, the MoHP informed that inspection would be done to punish those involved in hoarding the cylinders to sell in the black market.
Issuing a press statement on Thursday, the ministry said, "It has been found that many industries are still using the oxygen cylinders by going against the government's decision."
Stating that many cylinders both empty and full were found to be stored needlessly, Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, Deputy spokesperson for the MoHP said that the ministry had already issued a letter to industrialists and other concerned stakeholders to immediately provide the cylinders to COVID-19 hospitals.  
The ministry has further informed that those found violating the government's decision would be punished strictly as per the Infectious Disease Act, 2020.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adhikari said, "The COVID-19 patients have been facing a lot of difficulties due to the shortage of oxygen supply."
The government has also decided to procure 50,000 oxygen cylinders from abroad. It has already started the process to import 20,000 oxygen cylinders from China.