Kathmandu tops COVID-19 active caseload with 273 while Lalitpur stands second with 74 cases

By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, July 5: As many as seven districts of the country have recorded more than five cases of COVID-19 while no case has been observed in 39 districts of the country from June 19 till now.

Lately, COVID-19 cases have started to rise in the country as evidenced by the fact that 90 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the country today.

According to the data of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Province 1 has less than five cases whereas not a single COVID-19 case has been detected in Karnali Province during the period.

Of the seven districts with more than five active COVID-19 cases, Kathmandu has the highest number of cases with 273 followed by Lalitpur with 74 cases.

Kailali has 32 active cases confirmed. Likewise, Kaski holds 14 cases of COVID-19 from June 19 till now followed by 10 cases in Banke and six cases in Dhanusha.

No case has been recorded in eight districts of Province 1- Dhankuta, Ilam, Okhaldhunga, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbhu, Taplejung and Udayapur.

Saptari district of Madhesh Province, and Rasuwa and Ramechhap districts of Bagmati Province have no COVID-19 cases recorded from June 19 till now.

No cases of COVID-19 has been recorded in eight districts of Gandaki Province such as Gorkha, Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, Parbat, Tanahu and Nawalparasi East. No cases of COVID-19 has been recorded in Bardiya, Dang and Rolpa districts.

Meanwhile, all 10 districts of Karnali Province- Dailekh, Jajarkot, Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, Kalikot, Mugu, Salyan, Surkhet, Rukum(West)- have no record of a single case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

No case of COVID-19 has been recorded in seven districts of Sudur Paschim Province- Bajhang, Bajura, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula and Doti.

Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku, said that three districts of the Kathmandu Valley- Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur- hold the highest number of cases as there is a high influx and mobility of people.

This gives shelter for the spread of the virus. Other districts that are bordering India are also cited to have high cases of COVID-19 as cases are rising in India, 12,000 on a daily average, and to and fro of people helps in the spread of SARS-COv-2 in bordering districts.

Dr Pun attributed B.A.5, a sub-variant of Omicron, to be responsible for the recent spread of coronavirus in the country. He viewed that the B.A.4 and B.A.5 are predominant variants causing COVID-19 worldwide. The United States and European countries have been witnessing rising COVID-19 cases over four months but the B.A.5 is speculated to have entered Nepal through India as there is high flow of people between the two countries.

Dr Rabindra Pandey, Public Health Expert, also reinforced that rising COVID-19 cases in India and the flow of people within borders have resulted in the rise of COVID-19 cases in Nepal as well.

Though other countries had B.A.5 conflicted cases, it entered India only a month earlier, therefore, is spreading to Nepal through bordering areas.

He said, “B.A.5 has less mortality rate, and hospitalization also with less contagious nature, however, studies show that it affects lungs, therefore people with a chronic condition, elderlies and children must be vigilant.”

Province-wise active caseload

Of the seven provinces, Bagmati Province recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases that is 209 males and 164 females, recorded from June 19 to July 5 whereas, not even a single case has been observed in Karnali Province in the period.

Likewise, 35 cases consisting of 15 females and 20 males were found in the Sudur Paschim Province and a total of 23 cases, six females and 17 males were recorded in Lumbini Province.

24 cases- 21 males and 3 females- of COVID-19 were recorded in Madhesh Province in the last 14 days. In Gandaki, 20 COVID-19 cases-11 males and nine females- were recorded in the same period. As many as seven cases -one female and six males- were found in Province 1.