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Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal

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Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1 -Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence Date: May 17, 2021 Kathmandu, Nepal EMERGING THEME(S) • Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli admits he had not estimated COVID-19 infection would spread to this extent in the country; says he’d believed Nepalis’ immune system to be strong enough to fight the virus; COVID-19 Crisis Management Center avers more legal structures needed to fight the pandemic; Finance Minister ensures Rs 4,318,560,000 for control of COVID-19 infection • Nepal reports 7,316 new COVID-19 infections, 145 deaths on May 16; infection spreading rapidly in Taplejung, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk; Surkhet stares at increased chance of starvation; COVID-19 patients in Parasi who ingested typhoid medicine critical • Health Ministry to manage oxygen supply to hospitals once again; quota system lifted; Finance Minister says no more oxygen shortage from now onwards as steps have been taken, okays budget to set up oxygen plant and pipeline in 3 hospitals; Siddhartha Bank to provide ‘oxygen loans’ • Analysts say it would be great if reappointed PM KP Oli turned his focus on COVID-19 now; Parliamentarians get their booster dose, even family members of some, some ex-lawmakers; timely booster dose for senior citizens still in limbo; Health Ministry asks people not to keep oxygen cylinders at homes, while Deputy PM urges Kathmandu Mayors’ Forum to work with federal government • International help or promises to help Nepal fight COVID-19 pandemic start coming in; United Nations ready to help, US and China to provide assistance worth US$2,750,000, Rs 90,000,000 to Nepal respectively • Health Ministry says Nepal’s COVID-19 infection has peaked, health experts expect decrease in number in coming days; Even if number of new infections plateau, death rate will keep rising, say experts; Looking at India’s pattern, experts here expect infections to decrease within two to four weeks 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. WHE Communications Intelligence 2 • Oxygen shortage claimed 12 lives in Bir Hospital, 6 in National Trauma Center on May 13; oxygen plants at Kathmandu Medical College, Bir, Patan hospitals not working, no attempts made to repair them; hospitals have cut down new admissions; doctors, healthcare workers either appealing for oxygen on social media or running around to arrange something • Sudurpaschim Province hospitals yet to get oxygen plants as initiatives stalled; Bajura District Hospital might get a new oxygen plant up and running in a month’s time; Thimi’s Nepal-Korea Friendship Hospital starts producing oxygen; Pokhara hospitals not facing difficulties in managing oxygen supplies • Sudurpaschim Province at risk of COVID-19 spreading at a dangerous rate, but local levels, police oblivious to this danger • Mugu district sees escalating number of COVID-19 cases in last two weeks, 5 testing positive on a daily basis; district not equipped to handle the rising infections • Collection of swabs of corona suspects begins as 11 dead, scores ill in Jagarnathpur Rural Municipality in past 10 days • Delay in getting COVID-19 test reports has fuelled the spread of infection at community level in Gorkha • Only hospital in district providing healthcare to COVID-19 patients, Arghakhanchi Hospital has no ICU • Ramechhap facing shortage of cetamol, remote areas of Surkhet have no Antigen Test kits RECURRING THEME(S) • Birtamode hospital treats COVID-19 patients airlifted there; other hospitals run out of space, patients being treated in any available space, under make-shift tents which have also been overrun; many isolation centers ill-equipped to treat COVID-19 patients • People resorting to home-isolation instead of seeking medical help in hospitals; many in home isolation dying due to lack of proper treatment • Risk of community transmission remains large as no proper screening system or infrastructure in place at Gaddachauki border • All and sundry join in to fight the COVID-19 pandemic • Government has set Rs 5,000 for Remdesivir, but available in black up to Rs 50,000 and only through secret channel WHE Communications Intelligence 3 ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has admitted that he had not estimated the COVID-19 infection to spread at this level in the country. During a meeting at Baluwatar, he said he believed the immunity of Nepalis was strong and the infection would not spread to this extent.2 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has instructed that a rapid response team be formed that is to work to prevent any kind of casualties from the pandemic.3 The COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) has concluded that more legal structures are needed to fight the COVID- 19 pandemic. Its meeting on May 16 said that the Infectious Disease Act 2019 is not enough to control the pandemic, and has asked the Ministry of Law and other agencies concerned to make necessary arrangements for the same.4 The Ministry of Finance has ensured Rs 4,318,560,000 for capacity enhancement of hospitals and healthcare materials needed to prevent and control the COVID-19 infection.5 Nepal on May 16 registered 7,316 fresh cases, and 145 fatalities due to COVID-19 taking the death toll to 5,001, and the nationwide total infection count to 455,020, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.6 The COVID-19 infection has been spreading rapidly in the rural areas of Taplejung after people from different places outside of the district started returning to the villages there.7 The COVID-19 infection rate is high in the rural areas of Kavre and Sindhupalchowk. The reports of all 17 testing for the virus came back positive in Temal, 16 out of 17 tested in Khanikhola came back positive for the virus in Khanikhola.8 2 Onlinekhabar 3 Setopati 4 Onlinekhabar 5 Onlinekhabar 6 THTOnline 7 Annapurna Post WHE Communications Intelligence 4 COVID-19 has been confirmed in nearly 70 people in a ward of Thaha Municipality of Makawanpur. The gatherings of weddings, feasts and other group activities are the cause of the spread of the infection, as per Dr Rikesh Karki, a doctor at the primary healthcare there.9 A total of 361 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Udayapur by May 15 — the number is increasing in the district. However, there has been no single case of infection in last year’s epicenter Bhulke.10 The fear of starvation has increased in Surkhet with the spread of COVID-19 infection. The families of daily wage workers are in danger, but the local levels do not have relief packages.11 The condition of COVID-19 patients, who took typhoid medicine, is getting critical in Parasi. Most of the COVID-19 patients visiting hospitals in Western Nawalparasi have been found to have taken medicine for typhoid without undergoing tests.12 Pregnant women are facing problems regarding their regular health check-up due to the risk of the new variant of COVID-19. There is more risk of infection while stepping out of home, plus the hospitals are also treating COVID-19 patients.13 Experts have concluded that lack of timely correct treatment is responsible for the high number of COVID-19 death deaths in a short period in Nepal. In the past five weeks, 1,676 people have died in the country, and this is three times higher than last year. As the new variant of coronavirus spreads faster, if pneumonia caused by this variant can be identified on time and treated, the lives of many people can be saved, they have said.14 The feasts organized on various occasions including weddings, birth and death rituals have contributed to the spread of coronavirus in the rural settlements of Baglung, Parbat, Gorkha, Myagdi, Pokhara, Tanahun, and Lamgunj. The risk of infection 8 Kantipur 9 Setopati 10 Nagarik 11 Annapurna Post 12 Annapurna Post 13 Onlinekhabar 14 Nagarik WHE Communications Intelligence 5 has increased as people are moving around freely in the rural areas even though caution against the virus is being practiced in urban areas.15 Going out of houses and shopping have increased COVID-19 infection in the Bharatpur Metropolitan City, according to a survey of 372 people. More than 32 per cent said they contracted the virus when they went out shopping. Nearly 31 per cent said they got the virus from their family members. Nearly 20 per cent said they got the virus after attending get-togethers and gatherings.16 A COVID-19-infected person has been found to have been selling grocery items at his store in Gurbhakot Municipality-8 of Surkhet. Though police made him shut his store after neighbors suspected his status, many had bought vegetables from his store before this.17 A 63-year-old COVID-19 woman died at Manthali Primary Health Center while searching for an ICU bed. The deceased’s relative said they looked for an ICU bed in Kathmandu as Ramechhap does not have ICU and ventilator facility so far, but could not get one.18 Most people of Jhuledanda of Badigad Rural Municipality of Baglung, who had attended a wedding of a local there, have been showing coronavirus-like symptoms while five of them — a father and two sons from a family, and two more — have died due to COVID-19.19 A 29-year old man from Butwal lost his life to COVID-19 within 15 days of getting married.20 A total of 750 journalists have been infected with COVID-19 as of now, according to the Federation of Nepalese Journalists.
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