Kathmandu, January 12
The government has not acknowledged that a third wave of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases has begun, despite the rapid increase in the number of cases. However, the health ministry has estimated that the omicron variant could spread rapidly. A senior ministry official told news channels that the health infrastructure was being prepared on the same basis, with an estimated 40 percent of the population being infected with Omicron.
Joint Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Dr. Sameer Kumar Adhikari also said that the
number of infected people could increase rapidly. So far, 27 Omicron variants of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Nepal. However, he acknowledged that their numbers were not enough to defeat Delta variants.
Although the delta variant has been confirmed in most of the infected people, the risk of
spreading the infection is high in neighboring India as the Omicron variant is being confirmed, according to the Ministry of Health. Due to the recent increase in the number of Nepalis returning to Nepal from India, the high risk of infection has also increased.
Covid coordinator and chest specialist of Trivi Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, Dr. Niraj Bam
told news channels that a challenging situation could arise if Omikron could not be stopped in time. He said that the number of corona infections has been increasing in the last few days and the number of infected people in the hospital has also been increasing.
He said that despite the increase in the number of people coming to the hospital for PCR testing and treatment, there is no pressure of serious patients.
So far, 76.5 percent have received the first dose and 56.9 percent have received the full dose. On this basis, the Ministry of Health has estimated that the number of infected patients will decrease even if the number of infected people increases. The ministry estimates that only 5 percent of those infected could develop serious health conditions. The government has set a target of vaccinating 199,222,164 citizens over the age of 18 by mid-Poush.
This is the preparation of the government
To identify, treat and control corona infections, the government has implemented the rapid
Action Plan from Poush to end of Bharda. According to the spokesperson of the ministry, Dr.
Sangita Kaushal Mishra, the Rapid Action Plan includes plans for tightening and managing the border, management of the hospital and easy availability of oxygen. Necessary plans have also been made to coordinate with the local level for setting up of holding centers and isolation and also for the availability of vaccines.
According to him, five liquid oxygen plants have been set up so far. She said that the Ministry of Health is working on the condition of the plants under the Rapid Action Plan. According to the ministry, health infrastructure was improved in the second wave as compared to the first wave.
Now health facilities including isolation, bed, HDU, ICU, ventilator, oxygen, cylinder, oxygen
plant have been added to compete with Omicron variant. In the Kathmandu Valley, there are 2494 isolated beds, 324 HDUs, 445 ICUs and 254 ventilators, according to the Ministry.
Similarly, there are 8 thousand 202 isolation beds in Nepal. The HDU beds have 3846 beds
ready and the ICU has 2797 beds. Similarly, there are 1,008 ventilators in hospitals across the country. 13 thousand 939 oxygen cylinders have been kept in readiness. The ministry says that the number of oxygen plants has been increased to 107. According to the ministry, there are 25 oxygen tanks.
The infection is on the rise
Although the government has not announced the third wave of corona epidemics, the number of corona cases has skyrocketed in recent days. Corona infection was confirmed in 2,444 people across the country on Tuesday, while the Ministry of Health and Population’s figures show that the number of infected people is increasing rapidly.
Last Wednesday, 12,498 corona tests were done and 326 corona were confirmed. Similarly, 540 people were confirmed infected on Thursday while the number of infected people increased to 968 on Friday. Similarly, 944 people were infected on Saturday while the number of infected people increased to 1169 on Sunday and 1445 people were confirmed on Monday.
By Karuna Thapa
