Fear of COVID-19 resurgence grips world again

Kathmandu, Dec. 23: As the cases of COVID-19 infection and deaths continue to increase in the neighbouring China and other countries, fear of the recurrence of pandemic has gripped the world again. 

According to various media reports, infection rate of the repeated COVID-19 cases is rising in China. Also the cases are high in Japan and South Korea, where thousands of Nepali migrant workers and students live and travel back and forth to Nepal. 

Issuing a press statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has asked the masses to be cautious as the COVID-19 cases are increasing in the neighbouring countries. 

The MoHP has also directed health desks set up at the entry points and health institutions to carry out screening, surveillance, and alertness along with the necessary preparedness. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is still a possibility of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the campaign against it should be continued.

The WHO has said that the vaccines will help to end the pandemic, but its effects will continue to be felt for many years to come.

“We should not be too worried, but vigilance should be high,” said Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.

We need to understand why China is witnessing increasing number of cases, it may be due to vaccine types or unvaccinated elderly citizens, said Dr. Pun. 

India is the most relevant indicator, if the cases rise there with new variants, then we must be more cautious, he added. 

Meanwhile, Nepal has witnessed a sudden decline in cases in the last few weeks. The MoHP on Thursday recorded only one case of COVID-19 among 216 RT-PCR tests. Two cases were recorded on Wednesday, six on Tuesday, and seven on Monday. The country had reported zero case on last week’s Friday and Sunday.

Dr. Sanjay Thakur, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), said that people should adopt safety health precautions despite the dwindling cases.  

As the cases of COVID-19 caused by the new variants are increasing across the world, there is a high probability of resurgence, cautioned Dr. Thakur. 

The government has continued surveillance at the land border entry points, and it will continue adopting strict measures there, said Dr. Chuman Lal Das, director at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD). 

People are neglecting basic COVID-19 safety measures including wearing face masks, hand washing and maintaining social distance. 

According to the MoHP, 12,019 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 in the country.  As per its latest update, 1,153,177 people have tested positive for the pandemic since the start nearly three years ago.

Similarly, of the total population, 79.5 per cent are vaccinated against COVID-19 with first dose and 76.6 per cent with full dose. A total of 7,972,791 people have been vaccinated with additional doses of the vaccine so far.