Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring,

Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1

-Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence

Date: August 10, 2021 , Nepal

EMERGING THEME(S)

• Nepal reported 2,609 new COVID-19 cases, 22 deaths on August 9; COVID-19 death tally of second wave 4 times than that of first wave in Birgunj; prohibitory orders being tightened in Province as coronavirus cases surge in last few days; COVID-19 ICU beds in Academy of Health Sciences, Gandaki’s Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital full, infected patients seeking treatment in private hospitals • Most children malnourished in Bajura due to acute food shortage brought on by COVID-19 pandemic Students stage protest in front of demanding online exams be conducted in place of physical exams; TU exams being conducted amongst crowd of students with almost no heed to health safety protocols; Lawmaker Gagan Thapa questions the logic behind TU holding physical exams; alliance of students’ unions demands vaccination for students

RECURRING THEME(S)

• Nepal Police has speeded up ‘Where is your mask?’ campaign as country sees a surge in COVID-19 cases • Senior citizens above the age of 65 being administered second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine from August 9; health experts flag the crowding at immunization centers as it would aid in spread of coronavirus

1 This intelligence is tracked through manually monitoring national print, digital and online media through a representative sample selection, and consultations with media persons and media influencers.

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ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS

Nepal's coronavirus caseload reached 717,486 on August 9 with 2,609 more people testing positive for the infection in the past 24 hours, while the countrywide COVID-19 mortality toll increased to 10,115 with 22 more fatalities. Nepal's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 93.5 per cent, the fatality rate at 1.5 per cent, while the active COVID-19 case count currently is 36,288.2 The number of people who lost their lives due to COVID-19 during the second wave of the pandemic is four times higher than during the first wave in Birgunj. A total of 86 were lost lives in the first wave, while 343 died due to the infection in the second wave.3 On August 8, the Ministry of Health and Population revealed that a total of 55 people lost their lives to the infection in the past 24 hours. This is the highest number of daily deaths Nepal has recorded in the month of Shrawan (since July 16). Nepal had not seen more than 40 daily deaths since July 16. However, according to Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, the data is not of the 24 hours only, but they have added the missing number deaths sent by the COVID-19 Crisis Management Center in different times.4 Authorities have begun tightening prohibitory orders in various hill districts of after the region reported a rise in coronavirus cases in the last few days. The district administrations in Arghakhanchi and Gulmi, where the active number of coronavirus cases stand at 757 and 486 respectively, have banned the operation of public vehicles since July 31 to curb the further spread of the virus. Health workers say complacency among the public and the authorities towards the virus is one of the main causes of the virus spreading in these districts.5

2 THT Online 3 Onlinekhabar 4 Baarhakhari 5 The Kathmandu Post

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The 25 COVID ICU beds of the Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences have been filled since the past two weeks. Likewise, the seven ICU beds at the ’s Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital have also been filled up. The COVID-19 infected patients are undergoing treatment in private hospitals as there are no beds available in the government hospitals.6 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected more women and children in the second wave than in the first wave in Baglung. It becomes very difficult for the children to complete the isolation period if their mothers get infected. Likewise, there is a risk of the children also getting infected when their mothers become infected with the virus.7

Acute shortage of food triggered by COVID-19 has left most of the children malnourished at Muktikot village of Bajura’s Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality. The pandemic has also adversely affected the Golden 1,000 Days program in the village implemented in a bid to address the problem of malnutrition among new mothers and their newborns, according to Municipality Vice-chair Mima Budha. Muktikot is home to 400 Dalit families. The village sees many deaths of children from malnutrition every year — six children lost their lives to malnutrition in the last one year alone.8

Students on August 9 staged a protest in front of Tribhuvan University (TU) demanding that the physical exams be cancelled and that online exams be taken. They said that no health protocols are being followed in the ongoing exams of TU. #CancelTUexam is trending on Twitter protesting that the exams are being conducted amidst the pandemic. 9

The exams of the Tribhuvan University are being conducted amongst crowds of students during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Two students are being kept on a bench, and the students of another shift are made to sit for exams without disinfecting the classroom after one shift of the exam is over. The colleges are holding exams in up to three shifts a day. The exam centers are very crowded.10

6 Kantipur 7 Onlinekhabar 8 The Himalayan Times 9 Ratopati 10 Nayapatrika

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The exams of Grade XII have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the exams of other levels are being conducted. What is the logic and basis for this, questioned lawmaker Gagan Thapa after the decision was made to postpone the board exams of Grade XII while the Tribhuvan University has decided not to cancel its ongoing exams.11

The students’ unions of the ruling alliance demanded that the COVID-19 vaccines be provided to the students. They submitted a memorandum to the State Minister for Health and Population Umesh Shrestha stating that students be provided the vaccine by showing their admit card for the examinations.12

‘WHERE IS YOUR MASK?’ CAMPAIGN

Nepal Police has speeded up its campaign ‘Where is your mask?’ in face of an increase in the cases of COVID-19 infection. Before this, it had distributed the masks, but the program was not effective due to the decline in the infections. 13

Nepal Police has started ‘Where is your mask?’ campaign in Simikot of Humla with an increase in COVID-19 infection there. In the campaign that began on August 7, free masks are being distributed to people walking without masks in the market areas.14

Stating that use of masks can protect one from COVID-19 infection, the National Health Education and Information Center has organized the ‘Nepal Mask Week’ from August 7 to 13. The infectious disease experts also believe wearing the right masks in the right manner can protect one from the infection. Be it Dr Sher Bahadur Pun of the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital or Dr Anup Subedee of HAMS Hospital, they have been deployed in the treatment of COVID-19 infected patients but haven’t been infected ever. That’s because of the right use of a mask, the duo said. 15

11 Baarhakhari 12 Setopati 13 Setopati 14 Ratopati 15 Nagarik

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Some non-governmental organizations have started a mask bank at Rajbiraj of Saptari with the increase in crowds in the market following the relaxations of the prohibitory orders. The campaign — that started on June 24 — distributes masks free of charge to people — and aims to create an environment where people would put on masks when stepping out of their houses.16

VACCINATION DRIVE

The senior citizens above the age of 65 are getting the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine from August 9. However, most of the immunization centers are crowded and people need to stay in long lines to get the vaccine. According to public health experts, there is a risk of COVID-19 infection spreading if the vaccination is done amidst a crowd. The managerial weakness of the government is the reason for the public facing such unnecessary hassles during the immunization, as per infectious disease expert Dr Kiran Raj Pandey.17

A total of 32,000 people, who have taken the first dose of Covishield vaccine, are waiting for the second dose in Kaski. The government is set to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine as the second dose and the vaccination program will begin in a couple of days in the district. 18

The percentage of people getting complete doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 is almost similar in Nepal and India. In every 100 people, 7.81 individuals have got complete vaccine doses in Nepal, while 7.91 individuals per 100 people in India, as per the World Health Organization. However, the number of people receiving one dose of the vaccine is higher in India.19

More than 420,000 locals have been inoculated against COVID-19 in Sudurpaschim Province. According to Province Health Directorate, people are waiting for the second dose.20

16 Onlinekhabar 17 Onlinekhabar 18 Onlinekhabar 19 Kantipur 20 The Himalayan Times

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OTHER(S)

National News

A third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is imminent and unavoidable, public health experts, epidemiologist, virologists as well as the Ministry of Health and Population all agree. And Prime Minister is the latest politician to warn the public about the looming third wave. Public health experts, epidemiologists and virologists said that the appeal by the PM to the public is a good thing, but that alone would not be sufficient to lessen the possible losses from the third wave. They asked the government to take substantive measures to lessen infections, purchase vaccines as much as possible and inoculate the masses at the earliest while ensuring that the immunization centers are not crowded.21

The process to make a children’s COVID-19 hospital has begun in the Mahakali Provincial Hospital. Keeping in mind the third wave of the pandemic, the hospital is preparing to make a 50-bed hospital for children.22 The converted the Charikot Primary Health Center to Provincial Hospital at the end of the last fiscal year and also released a budget for ICU beds. As of August 8, the hospital has six ventilators, two pediatric ICU, four ICU, and six HDU beds. However, the ICUs and ventilators have not come into operation due to lack of trained human resources to operate them.23

The Committee for the Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of the State’s Guiding Principles Policies and Responsibilities on August 9 instructed the government to take strict action against those involved in the irregularities during the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine.24

The government has announced its policy to take initiatives to set up a vaccine lab in Nepal. However, tourism entrepreneurs

21 The Kathmandu Post 22 Baarhakhari 23 Kantipur 24 Onlinekhabar

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have been demanding that the government provide them with the COVID-19 vaccines. They also said the government has said its programs will focus on the tourism sector, but vaccine is the need of the time.25

The District Administration Office, Chitwan has extended the ongoing prohibitory orders in the district till August 16.26

The origin of the COVID-19 virus is a complex scientific question and its study has to be done by the scientists of the related field seriously and as per the scientific rules, according to the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi. Let’s put politics aside from the study of the virus’ origins, and science be purely science, she said.27

International News

Scientists remain focused on the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the dominant variant rising rapidly around the world, but are tracking others to see what may one day take its place. The Lambda variant has attracted attention as a potential new threat, but it may be receding. The B.1.621 variant is yet to earn a Greek letter name. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has listed it as a variant of interest, while Public Health England describes it as a variant under investigation.28

Despite a sluggish start, the European Union’s COVID-19 vaccination drive has caught up to that of the United States, where the slowdown of the country’s once-vaunted campaign has contributed to the virus’ deadly comeback. In mid-February, less than 4 per cent of people living in the 27-nation EU were at least partially vaccinated as compared to nearly 12 per cent in the US. Now the EU has surpassed the US by that same measure, with some 60 per cent of the bloc’s residents receiving at least one dose, versus less than 50 per cent Americans.29

25 Nagarik 26 Onlinekhabar 27 Onlinekhabar 28 Reuters (in The Kathmandu Post) 29 The Associated Press (in The Kathmandu Post)

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Contacts for further details

Dr Sunoor Verma Strategic, Risk and Crisis Communication Consultant World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal [email protected] [email protected]

Ms Tsering Dolkar Gurung NPO (Communication, Media and Public Information) World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal [email protected]

WHO’s COVID-19 response in Nepal is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Azerbaijan, the Government of Canada, UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), Government of Germany, and USAID.

Reference Code: 21AUG10MM_003

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