Chinese President Xi Jinping to help get COVID-19 • The ongoing lockdown, officially the prohibitory order, vaccines. As a result, Beijing has announced one million imposed in the Kathmandu valley has been extended by doses as a grant. one week, until 3 June with some stricter rules. Initially • Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has presented a imposed for one week since 29 April, it was extended budget of NPR 1.64 trillion ($14 billion) for the 2021-22 fiscal year that starts in mid-July, with a strong focus on until 12 May and then until 27 May earlier. controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and recovering the • A slight decline of 6.3% in week-on-week cases is economy. observed; however, a 6% increase in week-on-week • Amid a rapid spread of COVID-19 infection in the rural deaths is also seen. areas and limited testing, the Ministry of Health and • While lockdown seems to be controlling the spread of Population (MoHP) has rolled out 1.7 million antigen test COVID-19 for the time being, they are expected to be kits throughout the country. having devastating impacts on the lives of socially and • Kathmandu Metropolitan City has decided to conduct economically vulnerable Nepali families. mass antigen tests in all its 32 wards starting 28 May, • There is acute need for oxygen refill and supply systems given the increasing number of COVID-19 infection. in the health facilities in Nepal. • The Government of Nepal has decided to allow • President Bidya Devi Bhandari has communicated with passenger flights to and from China, Turkey and Qatar Indian President - Ram Nath Kovind, Russian President starting 1 June. Likewise, regular scheduled flights to Vladimir Putin, American President Joseph R Biden, and too, will resume. (Source:MoHP,UN Media)

Doti, Achham, Dailekh, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke, Bardiya and Dhading (based on the DCA’s partners’ weekly report)

• From 20 Municipalities in DCA’s working districts, a • People are jobless and in dire need of support as total of 15,058 active positive cases of COVID-19 are many are facing food scarcity. Many of the migrant existing, of which 3,945 are in home isolation. Until workers who had come to Nepal are returning back to date, 329 deaths have been reported. India. • All these districts are under lockdown and most of • PCR testing and Antigen RDT testing are inadequate them have reported increasing cases of COVID-19 and and are not accessible for many. increased cases of recovery cases in the recent days. • Households with low education level, person with There is lack of isolation centre and shortage of disability (PwDs), female-headed households are human resources and essential health commodities. found to be further at risk of food insecurity in DCA’s working areas. • Cases of domestic violence are on the rise, however • In , the cases are increasing, and due to the closure of the local judicial committees, migrant workers are returning back to India for job. the affected people are deprived of legal services. Community people are unaware of preventive • In District, women did not want to go to the measures and health equipment at the health health post for the checkup even though they are facilities are scarce. Few cases of domestic violence suffering from fever due to fear of COVID-19. Three have been reported. cases of GBV and cast discrimination are registered in • In Dhangadi District, daily wage earners are facing the District police office with the initiation of EDC unemployment opportunities, while the farmers are Nepal. not able to sell their produces, which has adversely • In , women and children of poor and impacted their income level. Dual responsibility for marginalised families are facing food scarcity and the women has increased conflict at the family level, returnee migrants are jobless. Community people resulting into increased domestic violence. Local who are engaged in vegetable production cannot Government (LG) in Kailari Rural Municipality has reach the market because of lockdown.There is a lack started sampling test through antigen kit in each ward of oxygen and beds in hospitals and there are no of municipality. The municipality has prioritised those quarantines established for returnees as in the wards that are suffering from fever related previous year, in almost all these districts. Access to symptoms. The LG has provided training to FCHV's PCR tests is very difficult as people have to travel far and soon they will be mobilised in awareness raising to get them. programme and to look into the identification of • In , the situation of migrant workers is COVID-19 cases in their local area. even challenging as they do not have work nor land • In , the COVID-19 cases are for cultivation. The area is highly affected by COVID- increasing, but the number of returnees from India is 19 due to the open border between Nepal and India. decreasing. municipality has decided to There is a lack of beds, oxygen cylinder, oximeter, establish a 50-bed isolation centre and Laljhadi thermometer, masks, and sanitiser in the hospitals. municipality will have 12 bed isolation centre.

• COVID -19 awareness messages being shared through mobile SMSes. • Voice messages being sent out to the community on safety measures on COVID-19, through the mobile database in 4 Palikas in Achham District. • Awareness raising jingles against COVID-19, and GBV are being broadcasted regularly through the local radio station in all the districts. • The name list of pregnant and lactating mothers in is being collected for specialised nutrition support. • Networks of Youth, women, Dalit and CSOs are being mobilised in the distribution process. • Scope to introduce cash for work modality to support the migrant returnees and daily wage labours is being conducted in Bheemdatta Municipality of Kanchanpur District, in close coordination with the LG.

Masks, sanitiser materials and health supplies supported in Achham and by SOSEC Nepal Dailekh. The materials were handed over to different community groups, health posts and municipalities as part of the COVID-19 response.

Help desk with staff established in three municipalities of Kanchanpur by NSSWA to make the information and data related to corona more systematic and effective.

Case Investigation and Contact Tracing (CICT) team mobilised for COVID-19 cases in Kanchanpur. DCA partner NNSWA has supported with health staff for this purpose.