WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 38 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 33.5 C 3.0 C Friday, March 27, 2020 | 14-12-2076 Dhangadi Jumla

Special note from the publisher Contact tracing of all

The Covide-19 pandemic has taken the world by storm, and it has made its way to Nepal. Though the virus has not spread in Nepal on as large a scale as it has in other countries, we are well aware that it who got close with could quickly turn into a large crisis. In light of the current situa- tion, Kantipur Media Group, which has always been at the forefront of journalism for the people, has taken some crucial decisions that we would like to share with our readers. Covid-19 patients First, the well-being of our readers, fellow workers and the gener- al public is our prime concern. Kantipur Media Group has always placed its responsibility towards the people, society and the country at the heart of its activities. Even in today’s unusual situation, our correspondents and photojournalists are out in the field, ensuring continues but time is that we keep our readers informed while our staff at the printing press have been working gruelling night shifts to make sure papers are printed. Our staff along the distribution chain and our dealers are, as always, delivering the news to our readers’ doorsteps. fast running out Although we would like our papers to be delivered to you in the early hours of the morning, we realise that we cannot compromise on the safety and security of our staff. To protect them from possible Authorities have traced just 11 of the more than 15 infections, we arranged for masks, gloves and sanitisers, along with other protective measures. But despite that, we cannot ignore the people the third Covid-19 patient came into contact possibility that they might get infected while they are out in the field. The safety of our staff is our first responsibility. with, but none has been tested yet. Second, all these measures are being taken to ensure that we abide by our duty to keep the readers informed with accurate news ARJUN POUDEL “We found that the man first stayed and information. But many of our readers and well-wishers have KATHMANDU, MARCH 26 in a single room and then shifted to a drawn our attention to the possible spread of the virus through the double room,” Dr Basudev Pandey, newspaper. So far, we have not found any evidence that the coronavi- Authorities have said that they have director of the Epidemiology and rus spread through newspapers, but we are not in a position to managed to get in touch with 11 of the Disease Control Division, told the Post. assert that there is no such risk. Our primary concern is to ensure at least 15 individuals who had come “Our health workers have been working the safety and well-being of our readers. in close contact with the third Nepali to contact all the people, including the Third, the government has enforced a nationwide lockdown, national infected with Covid-19. owner of the hotel and his wife, who restricting people’s movement. Members of the public have extend- The Health Ministry said on came in contact with the patient.” ed their support, and it has also become our responsibility to con- Wednesday that a 32-year-old Nepali According to Pandey, health work- tribute to a measure enacted to prevent the spread of a disease. We man who had returned from Sharjah ers have been assigned to reach out to are thus in a difficult situation. While we have the responsibility to of the United Arab Emirates on all the people who came in contact keep the general public informed by ensuring that they get newspa- March 19 had tested positive for the with the man at the hotel as well as pers delivered to their homes, it’s also our duty to support initiatives coronavirus. those who travelled with him on the aimed at controlling the spread of the virus. The man, who hails from Dhading Air Arabia flight from Dubai to Taking the government’s announcement, our staff ’s wellbeing district, had stayed in a hotel in Kathmandu. Officials have said there and the general public’s concerns into consideration, we have Kathmandu and gone to the Sukraraj were 133 passengers in the plane. arrived at a harsh but necessary conclusion. Tropical and Infectious Disease Authorities, however, have yet to We have decided to suspend publication and distribution of The Hospital in Teku on Monday night trace passengers from the Air Kathmandu Post, Kantipur, Nepal, Nari and Saptahik for a few days, after coming down with a fever, chest Arabia flight and the Qatar Airways beginning Saturday. We will follow the unfolding circumstances on pain and a sore throat. The National flight that the second Covid-19 patient a daily basis and whenever the situation eases, our publications will Public Health Laboratory confirmed travelled on. A 19-year-old Nepali stu- reach your doorsteps and the nearest newstands. Our regular sub- on Tuesday night that he had tested dent returning from France via Doha scribers will have their subscription period extended accordingly. positive for the virus. had tested positive for Covid-19 on Our readers are all well aware of the fact that we have never An official at the Health Ministry Sunday night. She is also being treat- stepped back in the past, no matter how difficult the situation. said that the man had come in contact ed at the Teku hospital. Of the 158 Journalism is not a profession to shirk responsibility during trying POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI with at least 15 people at the hotel as passengers in the Qatar Airways times. In the past, we have always practised dynamic and meaning- A pharmacist sells drugs to a buyer through the store’s closed gate on the third day of the nationwide he had invited several friends to have flight, 125 were Nepalis. ful journalism--be it during the times of civil war or when the king lockdown amid concerns over the spread of Covid-19, in Lalitpur on Thursday. dinner with him. >> Continued on page 4 assumed absolute power. Kantipur Media Group has always stood against all kinds of oppression and obstacles. We never hesitated to break curfew or prohibitory orders to make sure that our papers reached the hands of our readers. And in this regard, our readers have always been our source of inspiration. But today’s pandemic is of such a nature that it demands physical distance--even between the hands. The more ‘physical distancing’ there is, the lower the chance of mass infection. Today, we have been compelled to maintain a temporary distance between our newspa- pers and our readers. As far as our responsibility of doing journalism is concerned, we remain committed. Our print editions might be temporarily sus- pended, but we have powerful digital tools with us. We will continue to disseminate the news, views, information, analysis, interviews, photos and videos through kathmandupost.com and ekantipur.com. The two other arms of Kantipur Media Group—Kantipur TV and Kantipur FM—will continue to be at your service. Ties between Kantipur Media Group and our readers are very strong and they cannot be broken by the sudden surge of a certain virus. We extend our apologies for the inconvenience caused to you due to this decision we have been forced to take. The present crisis OPINION | 05 can be averted and defeated only by staying home and maintaining physical distance with individuals and objects. We hope all our read- A wake up call ers will play their part in helping overcome this global crisis.

Kailash Sirohiya Chairman and Managing Director

Kantipur Media Group

Half a dozen countries seek permission to evacuate their citizens from Nepal Embassies have asked for permission for chartered flights to take their citizens home as many tourists are having difficulties finding food and supplies during the lockdown.

SANGAM PRASAIN Other countries are likely to follow foreigners are currently in Nepal is KATHMANDU, MARCH 26 suit, as a Wednesday meeting of the unavailable, the Nepal Tourism Board, high-level coordination committee the country’s tourism promotion body, Half a dozen countries are currently headed by Deputy Prime Minister has estimated that there could be in the process of evacuating their citi- Ishwar Pokhrel decided to also allow around 2,000 individuals, including zens from Nepal as concerns over the foreign countries to evacuate their some 300 in various trekking areas. spread of the Covid-19 continue to citizens from Nepal. The figure excludes foreigners work- grow. The United States, United “Based on the committee’s decision, ing in diplomatic missions, embassies Kingdom, Germany, Australia, India, we have permitted Germany to take and INGOs/NGOs. China and South Korea are among its citizens home on special charter The government on Tuesday countries that are applying for per- flights,” said Acharya. imposed a week-long lockdown across mission from the Ministry of Foreign The ministry has granted permis- the country to prevent the spread of Affairs to bring in chartered flights sion for two flights on Friday and Covid-19, halting all flights and vehic- that will be used to fly back their citi- Saturday, he said, and that flight ular movements, except for during zens. arrangements had been made via emergencies, across the country. The On Thursday, the Ministry of Qatar Airways. lockdown is likely to continue for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation “We have not yet received formal longer. granted permission for two special applications from other countries, but On Thursday, the US Embassy in charter flights from Germany, on we are expecting applications as Kathmandu formally requested the behalf of the European Union, to numerous countries are currently Nepal government to help the embas- evacuate their nationals, according to bringing their citizens to Kathmandu,” sy facilitate the departure of Suresh Acharya, the joint-secretary at said Acharya. American citizens from Nepal, accord- the ministry who looks after aviation In an email circulated to its citizens, ing to officials at the Foreign Ministry. affairs. the Embassy of South Korea stated India, China, Australia and South Although diplomatic missions that it had secured permission for a Korea are also in communication with apply for permission at the Foreign special flight on March 30 to evacuate government agencies to evacuate Ministry, it is the Civil Aviation its citizens. their nationals, they said. Ministry that grants permission. Although exact data on how many >> Continued on page 4

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 | 02 MEDLEY

Inside the Post Quote of the day

Fear, worry as Province 5 districts lack records of people National coming from India, Page 4

Provincial and local governments need to be mobilised to track people who recently returned to Nepal from foreign countries, including India, and keep “We can do nothing about those who have them in quarantine, as all cases of Covid-19 so far reported in the country are imported, governance experts say. already entered Nepal, but we are trying to Opinion quarantine all those who will enter the Terms like ‘global village’ or ‘global society’ have existed to indicate interconnec- country from now on.” tion and interdependency in our conversations for some time. But Covid-19 has truly exposed the actual intricacy of those connections. Mahadev Panth, chief district officer of Rupandehi, on the local administration’s World inability to screen the people who had returned from India before the lockdown. The man who committed the worst atrocity in New Zealand’s modern history when he slaughtered 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques unexpectedly pleaded guilty to all charges Thursday. Most read online Money Manjil Roman was working in Dubai when he heard that farmers were growing Public health laboratory confirms third Covid-19 case strawberries in Bhagudubba, Bahradashi rural municipality. He returned home Nepal’s third Covid-19 case has just been confirmed in a 32-year-old man who last week, and one of the first things he did was to go to the farm to by the fruit. returned from Sharjah of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, according to Rajesh Kumar Gupta, spokesperson for the National Public Health Laboratory. Sports The man, a local of Dhading district, returned to Nepal on March 19 via Air Arabia, which landed at 4:45 pm. The International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Thursday that all qualifying events for the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup and 50-overs version in 2023 that were scheduled to be held before June 30 have been postponed due to the coronavirus Daily wage workers are more worried about starving to death pandemic. than Covid-19 Laxmi Chhetri and her husband have both not been to work for the past two days. Chhetri, who lives with her husband and two children at the squatter set- tlement in Sankhamul, works as a maid while her husband is a house painter. News Quiz With the country under lockdown, neither of them has been able to go to work, and as daily wage labourers with few savings, things are not looking good.

1. Which of the following mem- Kathmandu to Birgunj was POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI bers of the British Royal family seized by Birgunj Police on Police seize a container truck carrying 52 people from Medical workers wearing protective gear are seen at Patan Hospital in Lalitpur on Thursday. has tested positive for Covid-19? Wednesday? Kathmandu to Birgunj on Wednesday a. Queen Elizabeth II a. 52 The District Police Office in Parsa seized a container and arrested the driver on b. Prince Harry b. 42 Wednesday for ferrying 52 passengers from Kathmandu to Birgunj. The driver c. Prince William c. 32 was charged with hiding the passengers inside the container truck. Gautam d. Prince Charles d. 22 On this day in history Thapa, Deputy Superintendent of Police, said. 2. Which of the following tennis 4. How many active Covid-19 cases players donated $1.02 million to have been confirmed in Nepal Unemployment rising up in Nepal help vulnerable families by Wednesday? Despite a significant number of rescues, 300 trekkers remain impacted by the coronavirus a. One KATHMANDU - The rate of unemployment, if goes unchecked, may invite social stranded in various trekking routes outbreak on Wednesday? b. Two aberrations and finally take a heavy toll on the national development, warn About 300 foreigners have been stranded along various trekking routes ever a. Rafael Nadal c. Three social experts. since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to control the possible b. Roger Federer d. Four The problem of unemployment has assumed a dangerous proportion with spread of Covid-19 on Tuesday. Khum Bahadur Subedi, president of Trekking c. Novak Djokovic most of the educated people at different parts of the country passing their time Agencies Association of Nepal, said that the foreigners had obtained trekking d. Andy Murray 5. Which day is celebrated as idly. However, the exact figure of the educated unemployed is not known. permits long before the government prohibited movement across the country. World Sparrow Day every year? But the people flocking to the corporations, offices and other institutions to 3. A container truck carrying how a. May 20 file applications for the vacancies published in the newspapers bear testimony many passengers from b. October 20 to the fact that the problem is not something to be overlooked and should arrest c. December 20 attention immediately. d. March 20 Says a job seeker: “Filing of about 1,000 applications for one post is no sur- Corrections prise.” To his bitter experience, he said that the advertisements published in the 6. How many rhinos died inside papers were just a formality. Our reporters and editors do their best to make sure our reporting is free from the Chitwan National park in errors. But when we make mistakes that warrant correction, we will be transparent the fiscal year 2017/18? The Kathmandu Post and clarify at the bottom of the specific article. a. 43 March 27, 1995 If you believe we have got something wrong and it requires correction, please b. 26 email us at [email protected] with “correction” in the subject line. c. 59 Answers to News Quiz: 1(d), 2(b), 3(a), 4(b), 5(d), 6(b) For the most recent corrections, visit kathmandupost.com/corrections. d. 17 PHOTO: PARSA DISTRICT POLICE OFFICE HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) CANCER (June 22-July 22) LIBRA (September 23-October 22) CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** **** *** *** Try not to get involved in anything confusing Take some time to be grateful about where you Every goal you set for yourself doesn’t have Getting too much attention could be dangerous today. It’s only going to lead to frustration. This are. You have so much good energy around you. to be a big one. Who are you trying to impress? for you right now. You aren’t quite ready for a isn’t a great day for learning new tasks or start- There will always be some tough times, but it’s Everyone who needs to think you’re a rock star high level of scrutiny, so beg off making any ing new projects. Your mind won’t be able to a wonderful day to take a deep breath and relax! already thinks it, so take a breather and major presentations today. There is no need to focus. If you feel that you’re unclear about Take stock of the people who leave you feeling just relax. Set a few smaller goals instead of do anything before you’re ready, and no one will something, get clarity immediately. energised and good about yourself. one big one. be pushing you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) LEO (July 23-August 22) SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) ***** *** **** *** You’re finally coming to a deeper understand- There are always consequences to your actions, Step out of reality when you have a chance, and If you’re being pulled and pushed by two differ- ing of a task that has been particularly chal- but today they might be the kind that you can’t check-in with your fantasy life! It’s been stuck ent people right now, you have to get out of the lenging for you. You’re getting a handle on predict, so make sure you listen very closely to on pause for far too long. You need to get back middle of it! These other people have their own things and feeling more empowered about what what other people say. They’ll give you all the in there and fill in some blanks. Dream about issues, and they need to deal with them without you need to do. This could be a wonderful day clues you need to guess how the group will react where you’ll be in ten years, fantasise about you. You certainly don’t deserve the responsibil- for you. once you announce your big decision. who you’ll be with and what you’ll be doing. ity of fixing something that you didn’t break.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) VIRGO (August 23-September 22) SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** ** *** *** The idea of making some big changes in your You might be moving too quickly for others Confused about what you’ll do if you hear what You simply can’t be friends with everyone. It’s life is very appealing to you, possibly even today. Your brain is firing on all cylinders, you want to hear? Waiting for news can be not that you should write certain people off or including making a career change. But be care- and not everyone is going to be able to keep up! excruciating, but there is no getting around it. start being rude to people who don’t fawn all ful not to assume that a new job will equal a new But don’t give it a second thought. Let To distract yourself in the meantime, get in over you. But you should stop wasting your life. There’s much more to it than that. A differ- other people go at the pace that feels most touch with someone who’s been through what energy trying to charm someone who just ent daily monotony is still a daily monotony. comfortable to them. you’re going through. doesn’t seem to get where you’re coming from.

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 03 | FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 NATIONAL Government to slash 20 percent electricity tariff for households using up to 150 units TIKA R PRADHAN KATHMANDU, MARCH 26

The government has decided to cut the electricity tariff by 20 percent for those households whose power con- sumption is up to 150 units a month. The decision comes as people are queuing up outside cooking gas depots for hours on end amid the lockdown orders issued by the government to stem the spread of Covid-19. The high-level coordination com- mittee on Covid-19, led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel, on Wednesday had decided to encourage the people to use induction stoves instead of gas. The meeting had directed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation to take nec- essary measures to offer concessions on electricity tariff and customs duty. According to the officials at the Ministry of Finance, the ministry has decided not to charge 15 percent cus- toms duty on the induction stoves. The high-level committee has also decided to open the two border points with China—Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani—to facilitate the import of essential goods. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance have been given the responsibility of ensuring that the daily essentials are transport- ed safely. Energy Minister Barsaman Pun said the decision to open the two bor- der points was not for the import of goods other than the essentials such as induction stoves, medical equip- POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL ment and food stuffs. Workers at a brick factory in Jhaukhel, Bhaktapur, play cards to spend their time on Thursday, the third day of the week-long lockdown announced by the government to prevent the spread of Covid 19. The government has also asked the traders of daily essentials to start home delivery services during the lockdown period. To this end, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the board members of the Federation of Nepalese Kuwait allows migrant workers on leave to Chambers of Commerce and Industry, supermarket operators, grocers and wholesale traders to deliver daily essentials to people’s doorsteps. The decision was taken after the file visa renewal applications online officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry for Industry, Commerce and Supplies held a discus- Nearly 400 Nepalis on holiday at home are expected to benefit from the new provision. sion among the industrialists and entrepreneurs, owners of the major CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL both the countries. to our estimate, at least 400 Nepalis the Kuwaiti government has also visa using the same procedure. Online supermarkets, groceries and food KATHMANDU, MARCH 26 According to the latest arrange- are back home on leave at the affected normal life, and forced non-es- applications can be filed by both com- stores of Kathmandu and officials of ment made by the Ministry of Interior moment.” sential services to shut down. pany workers (Visa-18) and domestic the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. The Kuwait government has decided of Kuwait, the employers of the The Arab state, which hosts over With the decision to take visa workers (Visa-20). The Ministry of Home Affairs to allow migrant workers, including migrant workers concerned can apply 70,000 Nepali migrant workers, has renewal applications available online, In the past, workers had to present has agreed to issue travel passes to hundreds of Nepalis, on leave to file online to get their visa renewed even also been affected by the Covid-19 out- the workers’ residency permit can be themselves before immigration those businesses offering home deliv- their visa renewal applications if they haven’t arrived in Kuwait after break. As of now, 195 cases have been renewed even when the worker con- authorities to apply to renew their ery service. online amid the global coronavirus their holiday. reported in the country so far. cerned is not in the country. Kuwaiti residency permits, according to For similar management outside pandemic. “This [the decision] is a big relief While Nepali workers already in the employers. on behalf of their employ- Maskey. “Nepali and Bangladeshi the Kathmandu Valley, the Home The decision comes as a respite for for Nepali workers who feared losing country say they are faced with ees, can submit the application and workers should also submit their Ministry has told the concerned dis- around 400 Nepali workers who could their jobs as they stay in Nepal wait- reduced work hours, and reduced pay, complete procedures online. biometric (finger print) while apply- trict administration offices and local not return to their jobs in the ing for restrictions to be lifted,” Suraj those back home were anxious about Likewise, workers who are still in ing for renewal,” said Maskey, an IT units to coordinate with their local Gulf state after their annual break Maskey, a Nepali migrant worker told getting to return to their jobs. The Kuwait, but their visa expires soon, professional who has been living in grocers and traders. due to travel restrictions enforced by the Post from Kuwait City. “According partial, but strict, curfew imposed by can also apply for a renewal of their Kuwait for over three years. Lockdown helps control rapid spread of virus Provincial and local governments but it also lessens chances of more tests must track, isolate and test recent Fear and halt to transportation services massively reduce the number of people visiting hospitals, doctors say. overseas returnees, experts say ANIL GIRI old student who had returned from Wuhan, ARJUN POUDEL KATHMANDU, MARCH 26 China, where the disease was first reported. KATHMANDU, MARCH 26 The patient has since recovered and out of Provincial and local governments need to be hospital. The second and third cases were On normal days, over 400 patients visit the out- mobilised to track people who recently confirmed two months after the first on patient department of Sumeru Hospital in returned to Nepal from foreign countries, Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. The Dhapakhel, Lalitpur. On Tuesday, there, howev- including India, and keep them in quaran- patients are a 19 year-old woman who had er, were less than 15 patients who visited the tine, as all cases of Covid-19 so far reported returned from France and a 32-year-old man hospital’s emergency ward. in the country have been imported, govern- who had returned from the UAE. Both of “We did not even open the OPD,” said Hemraj ance experts say. them are being treated at the Sukraraj Dahal, chairman of the hospital. “People with Though the provincial and local govern- Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in injuries and severe stomach pain and those who ments were supposed to track people return- Teku, Kathmandu. required emergency care were treated at the ing from abroad and tell them to stay in The government says it is tracking the emergency ward.” self-isolation or quarantine facilities, they passengers travelling on the same flights Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease are yet to do so even as the risk of outbreak with the two latest Covid-19 patients. Hospital, in Teku, a government-run facility increases with people returning from To stem the spread and treat the disease, which has been designated as the primary treat- virus-affected countries going about their the central government has asked provincial ment centre for possible Covid-19 patients, on daily lives. governments and metropolitan cities to the other hand, saw just one tenth of the visitors “If we assess the impact of the lockdown build quarantine facilities, but authorities at on Tuesday. in the past two days, I do not think it was the grassroots have complained of inade- It could be because of lockdown but “people effective,” Khimlal Devkota, a scholar on quate resources, two senior local govern- refrained from visiting the hospital also because federalism, said. “So, there is no option but ment officials told the Post. of the fear of virus transmission,” a doctor at to activate the local governments to trace not “We are receiving complaints from health the hospital told the Post on condition of ano- only the people who have returned from workers regarding inadequacy of protective nymity. “Over 100 patients visited our fever abroad recently, but also those who have gear needed for their work, but we couldn’t clinic yesterday [Monday].” come from Kathmandu.” provide them that,” one of them said. After a 19-year-old student who travelled from POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI Devkota’s statement was also echoed by “This has been the challenge for all local France via Qatar tested positive for Covid-19, An empty street in Kathmandu on the third day of the lockdown on Thursday. former health minister and Nepali Congress governments.” concerns have grown among people about the lawmaker Gagan Thapa, who in his open Prof Krishna Pokhrel, who has taught possible spread of the virus. the Ministry of Health and Population had tainly declined due to the restriction of move- letter to the prime minister on Wednesday, public administration and political science Hours after announcing the second coronavi- decided to perform more tests and directed hos- ment, according to Kumar Thapa, chairman of called on authorities to mobilise local gov- for decades, also says the government should rus case in the country—first was reported in pitals to run separate fever clinics and sent Alka Hospital in Lalitpur. ernments and administrations to track and mobilise local political and administrative January which was later declared recovered— samples of suspects for tests. “How can patients visit the hospital when isolate the people who might have been units at the earliest. the government on Monday evening declared a “Due to the lockdown and halt to public trans- security personnel deployed to enforce the lock- infected to prevent the virus from spreading. “The government should widen its out- nationwide lockdown for a week starting 6am port, people have not been able to visit hospi- down prevent doctors and nurses from coming to In his letter, Thapa has mentioned that reach and mobilise local political and admin- Tuesday. tals,” Dr Baburam Marasini, former director at work?” said Thapa. According to him, 35 patients over 10,000 people have returned to Nepal on istrative units to cope with a possible out- Of the 100 patients who visited Teku’s fever the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, visited the hospital’s emergency ward on airplanes from coronavirus-affected coun- break,” he added. clinic on Monday, two were admitted to the hos- told the Post. “Lockdown is aimed at controlling Tuesday. tries while thousands others have entered Bishnu Rimal, chief adviser to Prime pital on suspicion of carrying the coronavirus. the spread of the disease, but it also prevents Dr Bikash Devkota, spokesperson for the the country via border crossings with India. Minister KP Sharma Oli said the federal According to doctors at the hospital, nasal and patients from seeking treatment.” Health Ministry, however, said that the lockdown Only this week, as Nepal announced a government had already instructed the pro- throat samples of the two patients were sent to Though lockdown is not applicable to those in was enforced to prevent mass movement of the lockdown, over half a million people vincial and local governments to build tem- the National Public Health Laboratory for tests need of medical treatment, there are concerns people and that people needing medical care returned from India through various cross- porary hospitals, isolation wards and inten- for Covid-19. over ambulance services, as most of the ambu- should be allowed to visit hospitals. ings and another half a million have left the sive care units. Public health experts say the lockdown as well lances in the country are not equipped well to “Those who have returned from abroad or Kathmandu Valley for their hometowns and “We have instructed the provincial gov- as fears have prompted fewer people to visit the transport people suspected to have coronavirus those who have met people travelling from villages fearing an outbreak. But the govern- ernments to act quickly to tackle the issue in hospital. But this also reduces the chance of infections. abroad and those with fever and flu-like symp- ment has failed to effectively trace their sta- an immediate effect,” he said. early diagnosis and treatment of the disease and According to Marasini, lockdown is usually toms must visit hospitals,” Devkota told the tus, place them into quarantine, and test Meanwhile, in Kathmandu—where all prevention of transmission to the community, enforced to prevent mass movement of people Post. “Others who have not come in contact with them for possible infection. three Covid-19 cases have been confirmed so according to them. from one place to another so as to control rapid such people and those who do not have any These people have reached several parts far, the city authority has started disinfect- Despite the World Health Organisation laying spread of the virus. “But lockdown has not been serious ailments should stay home and take of the country and are walking freely, Thapa ing the city’s neighbourhoods. stress on tests and more tests, the number of as successful in other countries as it was in precautions.” said in his letter. “We do not have a surveil- Eleven jet machines were used to disinfect tests in Nepal has been too low, largely due to a China, as even developed countries like the As of March 22, more than 392, 159 lance or monitoring system in place to know Kalimati, Teku and Hanumandhoka areas lack of resources and wherewithal. United States are still struggling to contain the Covid-19 infections have been reported in 196 about their status,” said Thapa. on Wednesday, Rajesh Gyawali, joint secre- After severe criticism that the government virus,” he said. countries and territories, with more than 17,138 The first confirmed case of Covid-19 was tary at the city office, told the Post. This was not conducting adequate number of tests, Chances of more sample collection have cer- deaths. reported in Nepal on January 9 on a 32-year- work will continue, he added.

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 | 04 NATIONAL Bara inadequately prepared to handle 33 people who shared Covid-19 cases, health workers say flight with 19-year-old Elected officials, however, claim that they have fully-equipped health desks and isolation wards. patient test negative

LAXMI SAH chairman of Devtal Rural AJIT TIWARI IN JANAKPUR countries hours before the nationwide BARA, MARCH 26 Municipality, said his office was dis- & ABDESH KUMAR JHA IN SAPTARI lockdown began on Monday, authori- tributing face masks and hand sanitis- MARCH 26 ties are facing a hard time tracking all For thousands of rural population in ers to health workers. returnees. “A majority of Nepalis Bara, primary health centres are their Many health facilities in Bara have Thirty-three people from Province 2, working abroad, especially in India, only lifeline in times of sickness. But in fact set up isolation wards to keep who were on the same flight as the made their way into Nepal in the last as the country is preparing itself to suspected Covid-19 patients, but second person in the country to test two weeks. We are working on identi- prevent a major outbreak of Covid-19, whether these facilities are positive for Covid-19, have tested nega- fying them, contacting them and keep- which has been devastating many fully-equipped and their staff confi- tive for the disease, provincial author- ing them under surveillance,” said parts of the world, these health facili- dent to deal with an actual emergency ities said on Thursday. Karki. ties find themselves under-equipped is a different story. A total of 34 people from the prov- In Saptari, authorities have to care for a patient with suspected or The two-bed isolation ward set up ince were on Qatar Airways flight deployed health workers to track peo- confirmed case of the highly conta- by the local municipal government in QR652, which was also boarded by the ple who returned to Nepal from for- gious disease. Simraungadh is a case in point. infected 19-year-old woman in Doha eign countries in the past 10 days. They lack the resources, both “We have set up two beds to isolate while returning to Kathmandu from With the country confirming three human and equipment, to treat Covid- patients but we don’t have beddings France on March 17. Covid-19 cases—all of them “import- 19 patients. and bed sheets,” Manu Yadav, a local One individual from Siraha, who ed”—health workers in the district are At this time of medical emergency, health worker, said. “We don’t even was also on the flight, however, has keeping an eye on people who have the medical workers at Ganjbawanipur have proper beds to keep two patients, contracted fever. The man is receiving returned from countries such as Primary Health Centre in let alone personal protective treatment at the Kathmandu-based Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and India Mahagadhimai Municipality do not equipment.” Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious in the past 10 days. even have enough face masks and One cannot rule out the possibility Disease Hospital. His test report District Public Health Office chief hand sanitisers. of the Covid-19 spread in Bara. People hasn’t been issued yet, said police. Duniya Lal Yadav said the returnees “We have been purchasing face POST PHOTO: LAXMI SAH are still defying the nationwide “Thirty-three people from Province will be kept in quarantine. He said, masks and hand sanitisers for our- A health desk set up in Bara to screen suspected Covid-19 patients. Health workers in the lockdown by going out and the move- 2 returning from Qatar on the same “The district can accommodate 215 selves. The government has not sent district say they lack the means and resources if there were to be an outbreak. ment of people through smaller flight as the Covid-19 patient have test- people in 18 locations.” The health any item that could help us deal with a border crossings between Nepal and ed negative for the virus,” said Deputy office has also urged local units to possible Covid-19 outbreak,” said medicines are hard to come by. We cines to treat suspected Covid-19 India has not stopped. Inspector General Pradhumna Karki establish quarantine facilities at the Nirmala Kumari Pandit, an auxiliary have been referring most of our patients.” “We are trying to stop the move- from the provincial police office, earliest. nurse midwife, at the centre said. patients to other health facilities While many health professionals in ment of people on the border points, Janakpur. “They are currently in According to Yadav, 36 individuals The primary health centre is led by because we lack the means to treat Bara are insisting that the district is but we alone cannot do this alone. We self-quarantine in their own homes.” in the district have been quarantined. one doctor, who is assisted by a small them here at the centre.” under-prepared in all departments to need support from all stakeholders The 34 people were tracked by police Quarantine facilities have also been staff of auxiliary nurse midwives and Even hospitals in the district are handle a major outbreak of the and the locals should also heed to the after authorities intensified search for set up in Bodebarsain Municipality, health assistants. The 12-room facility poorly equipped. Kalaiya Hospital disease, the elected representatives government’s request,” Digbijaya all passengers on board QR652. After Saptakoshi Municipality, Chandanrup does not have enough beds in case of at the district headquarters, for are claiming that they have built Subedi, superintendent of the Armed the passengers were tracked, their Municipality, and Agnisaira mass illness. The only beds available instance, lacks the drugs and medical fully-equipped health desks and Police Force, said. throat and nasal swabs were sent to Krishnasavaran Rural Municipality. are at the birthing centre and the equipment to treat and contain a isolation wards to deal with a Chief District Officer Rudra Singh the central laboratory for testing. In Dhanusa, Nepal Army has set up emergency ward, and they are not major outbreak of an infectious possible public health emergency due Pandit also appealed to the people to “Everyone returning from Qatar to a 160-bed quarantine facility at Mithila remotely enough to accommodate disease. to Covid-19. comply with the lockdown orders. Province 2 is under the surveillance Aayurveda College, Gaguli. even a dozen patients at once. Setting up a 15-bed isolation ward is Bharat Bhandari, the mayor of “Our only chance of stopping Covid- of health officials and security agen- The Province 2 government has “Even if the centre had enough the only preparation the hospital has Kolhawi Municipality, said that 19 is taking preventive measures and cies,” said Bijaya Jha, senior health established a relief fund with Rs 250 beds, it lacks medicines and medical made against Covid-19, Manoj Yadav, his office had even managed staying home at this moment. The officer at the social development min- million seed money to facilitate efforts equipment,” Pratima Chaudhary, a hospital staff member, said. Personal Protective Equipment for people should cooperate with the local istry of Province 2. to control the spread of the coronavi- another auxiliary nurse midwife, at “The hospital does not have the nec- health workers. administration and not defy the lock- Meanwhile, authorities are taking a rus. The fund will also be used to pro- the centre said. “Even the essential essary medical equipment and medi- Similarly, Chandan Singh, the down,” Pandit said. host of initiatives to control the possi- vide relief to those affected by the ble spread of coronavirus in the prov- pandemic. According to the Minister ince. According to the provincial for Internal Affairs and Law police office, 68 people have been kept Gyanendra Kumar Yadav, provincial in quarantine in various districts. ministers will also contribute a Half a dozen Most of them were placed in quaran- month’s salary to the fund. Fear, worry as Province 5 districts lack tine after they returned from India The Cabinet meeting also decided to and other countries in the past few make provisions to allow three labora- countries seek ... weeks. However, as Nepal saw a huge tories in Janakpur, Birgunj and >> Continued from page 1 influx of people from India and other Rajbiraj to test for Covid-19. These embassies have said that records of people coming from India their citizens are facing hardship in terms of travelling and getting food due to the lockdown, said one Foreign Thousands of people entered the country through various border points in the province in Ministry official who is privy to com- Unverified information on social munications between the ministry the past week, but the authorities concerned do not know where they are now. and the diplomatic missions. “[We are] working really hard to get MADHAV DHUNGANA of them were tested. Chief District beds,” Chief District Officer of Palpa British nationals who want to leave, RUPANDEHI, MARCH 26 Officer Basudev Dahal said the return- Yadav Subedi said. “This will give us site puts foreign returnee in a fix back to Kathmandu and home,” ees were let into Nepal after a thermal enough time to prepare for a worst- British Ambassador to Nepal Nicola Until about a week ago, 17 border screening. case scenario.” DILLIRAM KHATIWADA 17 while Chaudhary had arrived on a Pollitt wrote on Twitter on Thursday, points in Province 5 were open, seeing “We didn’t keep records of where In Bardiya, however, 104 people who UDAYPUR, MARCH 26 different flight on March 18. Thapa calling for patience from its citizens, hundreds of people arriving from they were going because of the huge recently returned from India are had even passed the unverified infor- many of whom commented saying India, which has so far reported over crowd,” he said. The local units in the being kept at quarantine facilities in Bidyanand Chaudhary of Belka mation to Chief District Officer Dipak they were running out of supplies and 650 Covid-19 cases. But there was no district, however, have designated various places, while two individuals Municipality in Udaypur district, who Kumar Pahadi and the personal secre- places to go eat. restriction of any kind on the borders; quarantine facilities for the returnees. suspected of Covid-19 have been had recently returned from Qatar, tary of the chief minister of Province Tourists who are stuck in areas out- those who passed the temperature test administered in the district hospital, received a phone call early on Tuesday 1. Thapa’s factually incorrect social side of Kathmandu, particularly could move on. The authorities didn’t according to Deputy Superintendent morning from an unknown caller who media post spread like a wildfire as mountainous areas, are currently keep a record of where they were com- Only after borders of Police Rajeshnath Bastola. identified himself as an employee of local journalists also attributed being airlifted back to Kathmandu by ing from and where they were going “We have designated seven places the municipality. The caller asked Thapa’s incorrect post and shared the their respective diplomatic missions. either. And nobody was quarantined. were shut did local across the district as quarantine facil- Chaudhary to immediately come to information online while a sense of Buddha Air on Thursday airlifted 58 At one point, the border point of ities,” Durgabahadur Tharu, mayor of the municipal office for a medical fear gripped the locals and French nationals from Pokhara while Sunauli saw a staggering 18,000 people authorities started Barbardiya Municipality, said. “They examination. Chaudhary’s neighbours upon seeing Tara Air and a few other helicopter on a single day as the news of corona- are equipped with basic facilities.” As Chaudhary was heading towards the post. companies rescued 20 trekkers from virus cases spread fear and chaos maintaining data. An individual in Kapilvastu who the office at around 8am, one of the “These people have unnecessarily Lukla, the gateway to Mt Everest. among Nepali migrants. travelled in the same plane as the officials met him half-way and said harassed me and I was brought to the Australian Ambassador to Nepal Only after the borders were shut did 19-year-old patient who was diagnosed that he didn’t need to visit the office hospital only because of the rumours,” Pete Budd on Thursday tweeted that the administration begin recording Dang, too, saw about 5,000 returnees with Covid-19 has been quarantined, and suggested that he return to his said Chaudhary, “I know the authori- the embassy has secured approval to information about those who entered from India in the past two weeks, but according to Deputy Superintendent house. At around 4:30 in the evening, a ties are being extra cautious but my fly 14 stranded Australians out of Nepal. nobody has been quarantined. Even of Police Sunil Malla. However, the van from the Rampur Area Police name and address were made public Lukla. “Weather permitting, they “We can do nothing about those who though the district administration has individual hasn’t shown any symp- arrived outside his house, followed by on social media. This alone was stress- should land in Kathmandu tomor- have already entered Nepal, but we ordered the returnees to stay in toms yet, Malla said. But the quaran- an ambulance. ing me out.” row,” he said. are trying to quarantine all those who self-isolation, there’s no regulation tine facility lacks basic amenities, “I had no clue as to what was hap- Dr Mita Rana, a clinical psycholo- The government of Australia has will enter the country from now on,” and monitoring for a lack of records, with just a rickety bed and a mosquito pening,” said Chaudhary. “By the time gist, says inconsiderate use of infor- asked all its nationals stranded in Mahadev Panth, the Rupandehi chief according to Kul Bahadur KC, the net, according to locals. the police and ambulance had arrived mation in making someone a victim Nepal to be prepared for a flight back district officer, told the Post. Ghorahi mayor. District administra- In Nepalgunj, officials are scram- there was a big crowd outside my induces doubts and confusion in the home, although it is not clear when “Since the footfall at the border tions of Rolpa and Pyuthan, too, bling to search for the 500 individuals house.” said individual. “This can lead to fear they will be flying out. The citizens to before the lockdown was so high, we report the same. from various districts who left the Chaudhary, accompanied by his and anxiety disorder as the person be evacuated include all Australian couldn’t keep the people’s data.” “We have requested everyone who rescue facility in Nepalgunj Multiple wife, was then taken to the Dharan- becomes traumatised with all the neg- nationals and Nepalis with perma- In Nawalparasi (West), the district recently returned from India and Campus on Monday. The individuals based BP Koirala Institute of Health ative attention he gets at a time like nent residence permit. administration has reported about other countries to stay in self-isola- had entered Nepal from the Nepalgunj Sciences. He stayed at the hospital for this,” said Rana. Nepal has so far reported three 5,000 people entering Nepal through tion,” said Chief District Officer of border point. Uma Thapa, deputy around 24 hours and was discharged Thapa, after learning that his post cases of Covid-19. various border points. Of them, 3,000 Pyuthan Lakshman Dhakal. “And mayor of Nepalgunj sub-metropolis, on Wednesday. was factually incorrect, removed it Nepalis who were in India for study almost all the local units have set up said that the administration does not Chaudhary had to go through the and posted a new status. However, the (Shuvam Dhungana and Anil Giri and employment had returned home quarantine facilities.” know where they went. But Banke ordeal because of a Facebook post by screengrab of the original post is still contributed reporting) following the Covid-19 outbreak. None In Palpa, three of the district’s ten Chief District Officer Kumar Bahadur Durga Kumar Thapa, mayor of Belka making rounds on various social local units have set up Khadka said his office has correspond- Municipality. Thapa, without verify- media platforms. quarantine facilities, fol- ed with respective district administra- ing the facts, had posted that Rana further pointed out that those lowing the directive of the tions to find the people and keep them Chaudhary was one of the passengers who have access to information Corona Infection and in quarantine. on the same Qatar Airways flight (call regarding these matters must be Treatment task force, while sign QR 650) as the 19-year-old student responsible while disseminating other local units are still (Manoj Paudel, Madhab Aryal, who tested positive for Covid-19. information. “During these times, scrambling to do the same. Kashiram Dangi, Giru Bhandari, The information provided by the everyone must be sensitive and take “We have asked all the Durgalal KC, Rupa Gahatraj, Kamal mayor was incorrect as the female ethical decisions. They must make local units to set up quaran- Panthi and Nabin Paudel contributed student had arrived in Kathmandu by sure not to victimise the individual,” tine facilities of at least 50 reporting) Qatar Airways flight QR 652 on March said Rana. Contact tracing of all who got close with Covid-19 ... >> Continued from page 1 strict quarantine was an irrespon- Diseases Hospital, told the Post. on those who have come in close Officials said that though they sible act. “Failing to trace those who came in contact with the patients. According have obtained the passenger mani- “Of the 125 passengers who flew contact with the patient and con- to Pokhrel, no specimens from any fests for both flights, they have yet to Kathmandu on March 17 on the duct tests on them can prove to be of the people who came in close to contact the passengers as many Qatar Airways flight, 34 are from risky. ” contact with both positive patients are missing their contact informa- Province 2. They should have been According to Pandey, the have been tested yet. tion while others have filled out quarantined or put under medical Epidemiology and Disease Control Six family members of the fake phone numbers. observation. But they were directly Division has sought help from chief 19-year-old student have been asked “Their contact numbers are sent to the province,” Jha wrote on district officers and public health to remain in self-quarantine, wrong,” said Dr Roshan Pokhrel, Twitter. officers from respective districts as according to officials. chief specialist at the Ministry of “This has put the country as well well as other concerned officials “The ministry has no plans to Health and Population. “We are try- as the province at risk.” serving at the local level to help conduct tests unless those people ing to track them down with the Public health experts who have trace the people who travelled with who have come in contact with help of the address on their pass- long been calling to expand the the two patients. patients develop some symptoms,” ports.” scope of tests say that the authori- Health officials say as far as said Pokhrel. But according to preliminary ties’ lackadaisical approach to con- plane passengers are concerned, But public health experts say investigations, of the 125 Nepalis tact tracing could lead to rapid around 15-16 people sitting around that if the government wants to on the Qatar Airways flight, 34 are spread of the virus. the person must be tested, not lessen the risk of transmission, it from Province 2. “Scientific research has proved everyone on the flight. needs to conduct more tests. On Thursday, Dipendra Jha, that patients can spread the disease But at a time when authorities “All those who have come in con- chief attorney for the Province 2 in asymptomatic stages,” Dr Sher are facing criticism for not dissem- tact with the infected people and all government, said that allowing Bahadur Pun, a virologist at inating information on time, they those who returned from abroad those passengers to leave without a Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious are also unwilling to conduct tests should be tested,” said Pun.

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 | 05 OPINION EDITORIAL A wake up call

the government is purposely not report- Those on the frontlines The coronavirus outbreak ing positive cases not to set panic in public. Medics should be kept informed and issued has laid bare the incapacity Sometimes uncertainty and lack of succinct information from authority protective gear. of the leaders to make their cause more anxiety than the crisis itself. Yet, the government has been lackadaisi- population feel secure. cal in quashing falsehoods and present- On March 25, the National Public Health Laboratory reported that ing the true picture. At this critical junc- a third person had tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the ture, public, private, and social entities country. With this news, bringing the total number of known AMOD PYAKUREL have to move in lockstep to deliver an active cases to two within a few days, Nepal remains on high alert. exact set of messages. Only after much The lockdown has been enforced on a stricter bearing all over the hue and cry from all fronts just last week country. Some cases of police aggression and brutality have also the cabinet specifically issued guidelines been reported and shared on social media. In light of such moves, to the public to avoid crowds and congre- gations, close schools and postpone many have been lauding the federal government for a successful standardised exams; yet restaurants clampdown. were still serving, and crowded transpor- But the celebrations are a bit premature. For one, Nepal lacks Terms like ‘global village’ or ‘global soci- tation systems were still running. the necessary resources to successfully test all the people that ety’ have existed to indicate interconnec- A large portion of Kathmandu resi- may have been exposed to the virus via the two active vectors. tion and interdependency in our conver- dents are rural to urban migrants who While much had been touted of the over 500 tests administered by sations for some time. But Covid-19 has work in the informal economy and earn the government initially, with zero testing positive then, it has truly exposed the actual intricacy of very little income. Most live in squalor those connections. That perceived first like conditions. What happens to these come to light that the government has not even tested all the pas- world power and invincibility based on folks who did not leave the city prior to sengers who had flown in on the two flights that brought in the economic size and development is shak- the lockdown on March 24? If they were two confirmed cases. In fact, over the two days since the first case ing in response to the crisis. Everyone to be confined to their dwellings, that was confirmed, the government had only tested a further 77 sam- thought that the first world countries could prove to be more dangerous than ples; whereas the first and second patients came on flights from had technology, resources and answers to the outside world. Still, if they demon- France (via Qatar) and the UAE, along with hundreds of other address any health crisis; and epidemics strate symptoms and require treatment; passengers. and failure of health systems were would they know what to do? Would they For another, the government has not been able to provide reserved for the ‘third world’, a demean- comply? We already dodged a bullet ing term in itself. The Covid-19 pandemic when travel restrictions were imple- enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to all medical work- turned that idea on its head. The implied mented in Covid-19 affected countries ers that are expected to fight against the disease. Let alone all hierarchy based on race, culture, and that prevented migrant workers from provincial hospitals being equipped with the necessary PPE so economies, apparently, have proven epi- abroad coming back to Nepal as that health workers may carry out their duties without fear, it meral. Also, it does not provide immuni- Coronavirus carriers in large numbers. seems that Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in ty to the rich and powerful. Similarly asking people to do what is Teku—the hospital with the most resources and ability to handle The developed world is synonymous not readily available to them also does infectious disease cases—also does not seem to have the necessary with innovation, cutting edge medical not serve any purpose. According to the technologies and resources. Their World Health Organization, the single protective equipment in enough numbers. healthcare systems are still more effec- most effective prevention step is periodi- Added to this, and perhaps the most damaging of all, is the tive and advanced than that of the low- cally washing hands with soap and knowledge that the federal Health Ministry seems to have held er-income countries. However, this pan- water; however, in places like Kathmandu back information on the confirmed cases from medical workers demic showed that even with emergency where there is a chronic shortage of and public health officials. Specifically, even Shukraraj’s director plans and policies in place, some crises water and literally zero availability of SHUTTERSTOCK and doctors, and officials with the Epidemiology and Disease can still expose vulnerabilities of the water or soap in public places, such Control Division, seem to have been informed of the second case advanced healthcare systems. ities are finally scrambling to set up iso- comprehend, rather than just a checklist advice only makes mockery of the being confirmed positive only 14 hours after the Health Minister Nepal has neither the authoritarian lation beds, human resources and facili- of prescribed instructions. situation. machinery like China’s nor the required ties. Failure to effectively and safely han- Dr Baburam Marasini, former Additionally, healthcare workers are was informed. In fact, doctors at Shukraraj vented how they found resources and knowledge like the west to dle the exodus of residents at bus termi- Director of the Epidemiology and expected to attend to the possible infect- out about the second case through the media before the news deal with the crisis of this potential. nals prior to the lockdown that went into Disease Control Division has clearly stat- ed population with limited protection came in through official government channels. Despite being one of the countries clos- effect on March 24 exposed the govern- ed in his many interviews in the media and resources. There is a severe shortage This is a travesty. That the people leading the frontlines against est to the epicentre, Wuhan, in China, the ment’s ill-preparation. this week that public health planning of protective equipment as well as other Covid-19 are kept in the dark and left unprotected does not spell casual manner in which Covid-19 was Covid-19 has certainly reiterated that and programs lack the ability to meet needed arrangements, especially if the well for the efforts to fight a viral disaster. The need of the hour is initially addressed by foolishly claiming the public health crisis is equally, if not any public health crisis. This would be a outbreak overwhelms the healthcare complete protection of the people working in healthcare and pub- Nepal ‘Corona free’ weeks before it had more, about non-medical factors than the shocking statement from the man once system. taken any life outside of China; or dis- actual illness itself. Especially in a coun- who was in charge, if it were in the west, When the dust settles and post mortem lic health; if such people succumb to the disease or become inca- cord in responses from various ministers try like Nepal, social contexts matter but in Nepal, we are not surprised. is carried out, there will be a lot of dis- pacitated, there won’t be anyone left to treat the rest of us. demonstrated that the government failed when it comes to health and well being. Early into the crisis WHO cautioned cussion and actions to strengthen health Moreover, medical workers have a high chance of becoming in to understand the gravity of the crisis. It Our health is determined by the individ- against ‘infodemic’, a term coined for the systems, policies, readiness, response contact with the disease. Even if they do not develop any symp- was evident that the Nepal government ual, organisation, social, environmental, false information that was circulated on capabilities, and resources; not just of toms, medical workers may transfer the virus to their loved ones, had not thought about preparedness or political and economic factors; and our various media platforms. Unfortunately, the developing countries but of the West who in turn may spread it further. prevention, and certainly did not demon- policies have historically overlooked some of those misleading information as well. Covid-19 certainly reaffirmed the To successfully protect the whole of society, medical workers strate political leadership. Weeks into their influence. For effective implemen- has inveigled Nepali minds, and fact that our health systems are just as need to be protected with the necessary equipment. They also the crisis we still lack consistent and tation of prevention messages, especial- surprisingly even the educated urbanites vulnerable as our personal health, and clear message or political fortitude to ly when health literacy among rural have digested such misinformation. need constant monitoring and proactive need to be kept informed of all developments—any misinforma- tackle the problem. masses is so low, they have to account for There are many who actually believe the actions to prevent failures. tion or lack of information may have disastrous consequences. After almost 400,000 cases and more the public’s socioeconomic status, famil- pandemic is just a media hype. Similarly, What is not needed, however, are ill-informed remarks such as than 18,000 deaths worldwide, the author- ial limitations, ability to comply or even there are conspiracy theorists who think Pyakurel is a sociologist. those made by Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal at the press conference announcing the second case to the public. Not only was the physical conference entirely unnecessary, given the cur- rent circumstances, but Dhakal’s illogical remarks against medi- cal workers is definitely not helpful. Will Indonesia be Southeast Asia’s Italy?

We want to hear from you The mitigation of the virus We regularly publish Letters to the Editor on contemporary should be viewed as a collective issues or direct responses to something the Post has recently pub- lished. Please send your letters to [email protected] with endeavour with active ‘Letter to the Editor’ in the subject line. participation from the public. Please include your address, phone number we can reach you at and your email address. RIZKI FACHRIANSYAH & ARY HERMAWAN How to make sure your letters are published? It’s simple—just follow these basic guidelines: The Covid-19 situation is already bad in Keep it short. Your letters will have a better chance of success if Indonesia, which now has the highest you keep it within 400 words. If you’re writing commentary, pitch death toll in Southeast Asia just a few an op-ed instead. weeks after declaring itself ‘virus-free’. As of Wednesday, Indonesia had report- Tell us what we got wrong, but back it up with resources. ed 686 cases with 55 deaths. The crisis is likely going to get worse. Avoid jargon, use clear words and sentences. Keep in mind you’re Experts predict that more than 70,000 communicating with other readers who may not be aware of the Indonesians will have been infected by subject. the disease as of Ramadan and Idul Fitri, during which millions of the We welcome witty letters. But please don’t go overboard. country’s Muslims typically travel to their hometowns. Avoid abuse and diatribes. Questions linger, however, about whether the measures taken by the gov- ernment are enough to prevent the coun- try from descending into a crisis of the scale now seen in Iran and Italy, where the death toll has reached thousands, or even worse. Have something to say? Here is what Indonesia has been doing SHUTTERSTOCK to fight the pandemic. of people for the virus with newly seven of its members have fallen victim burden on hospitals facing an influx of The Kathmandu Post invites you to submit well-researched, obtained rapid testing kits. The first to the virus. Covid-19 patients. unapologetic opinion pieces. To make sure your articles get our No lockdown, only ‘social distancing’ testing campaign was conducted in In response to the crisis, Jokowi said attention, we ask that you keep the following things in mind when President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo contin- South Jakarta, given the area’s particu- the government would provide financial Lockdown shouldn’t be off the table inquiring and submitting content to the Post: ues to stand by his initial statement that lar vulnerability to the disease, accord- incentives, as well as additional supplies Scientists, however, have called on the the government would not seek to impose ing to contact tracing carried out by the of protective gear, to ensure the safety government to do more than just cam- All your opinion pieces should be pitched to the Opinion desk— any form of lockdown in the country, authorities. and security of health workers while paign for social distancing and mass not to the editor-in-chief. Email your piece or idea (accompanied citing the lasting repercussions that It is believed that Indonesia is attempt- they do their jobs on the front lines of testing to flatten the infection curve and with a high-resolution headshot) to [email protected]. such a policy would likely cause to the ing to follow in the footsteps of South the pandemic. prevent the Indonesian health care sys- country’s social cohesion and financial Korea, which has ruled out a lockdown The government is to provide an Rp15 tem from being overwhelmed. We will only respond to pitches that have original ideas. We stability. and has become a model to other coun- million ($886.79) incentive to medical Disease surveillance and biostatistics suggest that you google your pitch before writing to us. If you’re Jokowi said the cultural characteris- tries for the massive and sophisticated specialists, Rp10 million to physicians researcher Iqbal Ridzi Fahdri Elyazar submitting an article that either the Post or other publications tics and discipline of the Indonesian testing and tracing strategy employed to and dentists, Rp7.5 million to nurses and and his team at the Eijkman-Oxford people were the two main reasons why handle the crisis. Rp5 million to other medical staff mem- Clinical Research Unit (EOCRU) have have already covered in the past, tell us in a sentence or two why the government had ruled out lockdown. The problem is, experts say, that bers, he added. said that, based on their calculations, your story offers something new. ‘I have gathered data about countries Indonesia might not have the testing We will also provide a total of Rp300 Indonesia could be grappling with up to The Post receives dozens of pitches every day from aspiring that have imposed lockdowns, and after capability of South Korea, which has million for compensation in case of 71,000 Covid-19 cases by the end of April. analysing them, I don’t think we should used mostly PCR-based testing to aggres- death. This applies to regions that have Nurul Nadia Luntungan, a public writers, students, political commentators, entrepreneurs and dip- go that way’, the President said during a sively trace and isolate infected patients. declared a state of emergency’, Jokowi health expert at the Center for Indonesia’s lomats. We are not able to respond to every single email, but if we limited meeting at the Presidential Indonesia has relied heavily on antibody said on Monday. Strategic Development Initiatives, said like your idea, we will get back to you soon. Please DO NOT pitch Palace on Tuesday. test kits, which give immediate results The government distributed 105,000 that for regions with apparent communi- us an idea if you’re already pitching it somewhere else. In lieu of issuing a strict lockdown but are less accurate and can only begin pieces of protective health equipment on ty transmission, such as Jakarta, a par- protocol to control the spread of Covid- to detect the disease five days after Saturday to hospitals across the archi- tial lockdown could be imposed in paral- We carefully review submissions to ensure that no plagiarism 19, Jokowi insisted that social distanc- infection. pelago. Medical aid from China arrived lel with mass testing efforts. has occurred. If we find any articles that have been plagiarised, ing, also called physical distancing, was in Jakarta on Monday morning in a A lockdown, she said, was necessary to such practice will lead to blacklisting. still the most viable solution to the cur- Health care system at risk of government-to-government cooperation prevent the virus from spreading within rent health emergency. ‘The policy of collapsing effort. the city and into more regions across the Finally, please tell us who you are in a sentence or two when you physical distancing can halt the spread Of the country’s 579 confirmed Covid-19 The Indonesian government has also country, given the high mobility of send us your story ideas. We want to know where you have of the disease if people really comply cases and 49 fatalities reported as of established a new emergency hospital in people in Jakarta. published before or what your expertise is on the topic you’re with it’, he said. Tuesday afternoon, it remains unclear the four apartment towers of the interested in exploring. how many were front line medical Kemayoran Athletes Village in Central This article was previously published in Mass rapid testing—a silver bullet? workers. The Indonesian Medical Jakarta—used as the athletes’ village for The Jakarta Post, a part of Asia News Jokowi has opted to test large numbers Association (IDI) has said that at least the 2018 Asian Games—to alleviate the Network.

C M Y K 06 | FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 MONEY

FOREX US Dollar 120.55 Strawberry fields in Tarai producing good harvests Euro 132.19 Pound Sterling 144.34 The Golyan Group started commercial strawberry farming on 25 bighas in Bhagudubba. Japanese Yen 10.99 ARJUN RAJBANSHI The firm also sells the fruits from a Chinese Yuan 17.03 BIRTAMOD, MARCH 26 store in Birtamod. According to him, daily strawberry sales at the Birtamod Qatari Riyal 33.11 Manjil Roman was working in Dubai store amount to 100 kg. Australian Dollar 72.47 when he heard that farmers were Strawberries grown at the farm are growing strawberries in Bhagudubba, shipped to Biratnagar, Dharan, Malaysian Ringit 27.81 Bahradashi rural municipality. He Itahari, Kathmandu and India too, he returned home last week, and one of said. They sent a shipment of 25 kg to Saudi Arab Riyal 32.10 the first things he did was to go to the Dubai last December as a sample. But Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank farm to buy the fruit. their requirement amounts to 7 tonnes Another fan, Binod Rajbanshi, vis- daily which far exceeds output, and so its Bhagudubba twice a week to enjoy the firm could not secure an export PRICE PER TOLA strawberries with his friends. Locals order. BULLION of Rajgadh, Chakchaki, Dangibari, The group brought strawberry sap- Ghailabubba, Goldhap, Gherabari and lings from India. Shukla said that four Fine Gold Rs 77,000 Birtamod often go to the farm to taste types of strawberry plants have been strawberries. planted—Kamaroja, Winterdown, Silver Rs 720 The Golyan Group of Kathmandu Nevila and Sweet Sensation. bought 32 bighas of land in Rajendra Bhatta, a staffer at the SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA Bhagudubba and started commercial farm, said that they brought strawber- strawberry farming on 25 bighas. ry plants worth Rs600,000. Strawberry saplings are planted 30 centimetres GASOLINE WATCH apart on ridges, and each ridge is Strawberry is watered with drip irrigation. The farm uses only organic fertil- generally grown in iser. “We are doing organic fruit farm- ing,” he said. As strawberry farming the cold and high is being done on such a large area, the domestic market alone cannot con- Himalayan areas. sume the entire harvest, and it has to be exported. Organic cultivation is the first requirement for the export of fruits, The strawberry crop planted and that is why the farm does not use between mid-October and mid-Janu- even a little bit of chemical fertiliser. ary is starting to bear fruit, said Bibek The farm employs 50 local women Shukla, a technician at the Golyan daily, Bhatta said. Group. The plants started flowering in More than 100 people come to visit mid-December. Shukla said that the the farm daily, Bhatta said, adding farm produced 9 tonnes of strawber- POST PHOTO: ARJUN RAJBANSHI that the number increases on public ries from December to mid-March. Strawberries grown at the farm are shipped to Biratnagar, Dharan, Itahari, Kathmandu and India. holidays. Agriculture students, farm- Strawberry is generally grown in er groups and cooperative groups also the cold and high Himalayan areas, able for strawberry farming,” he said. The group is planning to expand Strawberry has got a good market come to tour the farm daily. but farmers have been successful in They started the strawberry farm strawberry farming from next year. and value. “Strawberry is being sold Shambhu Singh Rajbanshi, ward growing the fruit in the hot Tarai amid doubts if the fruit would grow He said that the strawberry plants for Rs800 to Rs1,000 per kg,” he said. chairperson, said that the government plains too, Shukla said. well in the Tarai, and the good harvest started producing fruit within two He has been selling 60-70 kg of straw- should prioritise such farming as it “This year, the weather was favour- has been very encouraging, he said. months of sowing. berries directly from the farm daily. provides good income in a short time. Volkswagen expects Trade bellwether Singapore signals deep car market to recover recession for world as virus batters economy

REUTERS trial output plunged 22.3 percent in SINGAPORE, MARCH 26 February from the previous month— in summer the biggest contraction in official Singapore said on Thursday it was records going back to 1983, and far planning for a deep recession due to more than a forecast 11.5 percent fall. the coronavirus pandemic as its econ- Just weeks after announcing mul- omy suffered the worst contraction in ti-billion dollar schemes to offset the a decade in the first quarter, reinforc- impact of the outbreak on businesses ing fears global activity will slump and households in its annual budget, sharply this year. the finance ministry is set to announce Singapore is among the world’s more relief packages later on most open economies and one Thursday (0730 GMT). of the first to report growth data since The Monetary Authority of the virus spread from China earlier Singapore (MAS), meanwhile, has this year, portending more brought forward its semi-annual mon- pain for other countries as they etary policy statement to Monday, impose increasingly strict anti-virus March 30, and many economists are measures. expecting drastic easing not seen Even though Singapore has so far since the financial crisis as global avoided the lockdowns seen in other central banks pull out all the stops. nations, its economy still shrank 2.2 “The extent of the first two months percent in the first quarter from a already tells you...how bad it is going REUTERS year earlier, with heavy hits to servic- to get,” said Selena Ling, head of A file photo of an employee working at a production line of the electric Volkswagen model ID.3 es, construction and manufacturing, treasury research and strategy at in Zwickau, Germany. preliminary readings from trade min- OCBC Bank. istry showed. “The likelihood is that they will REUTERS Stackmann was quoted as saying. The small Southeast Asian bring out a very big bazooka this after- BERLIN, MARCH 26 “We must learn how to live with the city-state is a major financial centre noon, and come next Monday, MAS virus,” he said, adding that he did not and port, making it a bellwether for will also do what’s necessary.” Volkswagen expects the German car expect the virus to disappear quickly. global trade, and is a popular tourist Singapore has been battling the market to recover in the summer after “The standstill cannot last longer destination. virus outbreak which has killed more the automaker was forced to suspend than summer ... Society and the econ- The contraction was the biggest than 21,000 globally since mid-Janu- output because of the coronavirus omy cannot withstand that ... We are since the 2009 financial crisis and was ary. It has seen a surge in mainly-im- pandemic, an executive told a newspa- preparing ourselves for the moment below economists’ expectations for a ported infections in recent days, per on Wednesday. when it starts again.” 1.5 percent decline. On a quarterly REUTERS prompting it to order the closure of The company has initially halted Volkswagen is also looking into new basis, gross domestic product (GDP) A file photo shows people walking past the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore. bars, discos, and cinemas and limit production until April 3, but Juergen rules to ensure factory workers can shrank 10.6 percent, the lowest since gatherings. Stackmann, management board mem- keep their distance from each other on 2010 and below expectations for a 6.3 stimulus. week showed more than three-quar- On Wednesday, it recorded its big- ber for the VW passenger cars brand, the production line. percent decline. “This could well be the worst ters believed the global economy is gest daily jump in cases, bringing its gave an upbeat assessment to the He added that one of the lessons The data prompted the trade minis- recession ever on record for already in recession as the virus con- total to 631 with two deaths. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, say- from the crisis was the need to invest try to cut its 2020 GDP forecast Singapore,” said Irvin Seah, senior tinues to spread, ending the longest “Singapore’s growth estimate is like ing that the Chinese market has more in e-commerce, saying range to -4 percent to -1 percent, from economist at Singapore’s biggest bank expansion on record. the canary in the mineshaft and warns already started to pick up. Volkswagen had already launched ini- a previous range of -0.5 percent to 1.5 DBS, predicting a 2.8 percent full-year Highlighting the suddenness and of further economic pain to come for “We assume that Germany will tiatives in online car trading that it percent, and firmed up investors’ bets contraction. severity of the shock, separate data on other Asian economies as well,” ana- return to normal in the summer,” would now accelerate. for imminent fiscal and monetary Economists polled by Reuters last Thursday showed Singapore’s indus- lysts at OCBC said. Airlines turn to cargo for revenue as US Senate approves aid package

REUTERS an announcement, days after it said it including international, will drop by more cargo-only turboprop flights SYDNEY/CHICAGO, MARCH 26 would ground almost its entire fleet around 68 percent in April. between the state’s islands. and seek more financing as it grapples Alaska Air Group Inc said it “We’ve shared these options with Delta Air Lines Inc and Air New with the coronavirus pandemic. would cut its schedule by 70 percent in our global cargo customer base and Zealand Ltd said they would offer IATA estimates the COVID-19 crisis April and May and had suspended its are getting some strong interest from cargo charter services on passenger will reduce passenger demand in dividend, drawn down a $400 million customers wanting to ship to and from planes to boost revenue as the US Asia-Pacific by 37 percent this year credit line and secured an additional Shanghai, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Senate unanimously passed a bill to compared to 2019, with a revenue loss $425 million loan to help weather the Los Angeles, Sydney and Melbourne,” give its carriers $58 billion in aid, of $88 billion. crisis. said Rick Nelson, Air New Zealand’s including payroll support. Singapore, Australia and New The US Senate on Wednesday general manager for cargo. The passenger travel industry Zealand are among the few countries evening passed an industry aid pack- About half of the world’s air cargo has been ravaged by the coronavirus in the region that have announced age, half in the form of grants to cover normally travels in the bellies of pas- pandemic, with Australia’s Flight some financial relief for airlines, but some 750,000 employees’ paychecks. senger planes rather than dedicated Centre Travel Group Ltd announcing it has not stopped carriers from put- Companies receiving funds cannot freighters, so the cancellation of pas- plans to cut 6,000 travel agent ting staff on leave and grounding lay off employees before Sept. 30 or senger flights has led to a sharp reduc- roles globally, either temporarily or planes. change collective bargaining agree- tion in cargo capacity. permanently. Virgin Australia plans to perma- ments. Roughly 1,800 planes had been The International Air Transport nently cut more than 1,000 jobs among The bill has restrictions on stock grounded globally on Monday and Association (IATA), which represents the 8,000 staff that have been stood buybacks, dividends and executive Tuesday, according to aviation airlines, said it has written to the down due to cuts to its flying schedule, pay, and allows the government to take research firm Cirium. heads of governments of 18 countries chief executive Paul Scurrah said. equity, warrants or other compensa- IATA said red tape is holding up in the Asia-Pacific region, including In a move unthinkable under nor- tion as part of the rescue package. medical and other emergency supplies India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, mal conditions, Australia’s competi- The US House of Representatives is needed to help tackle the virus crisis. Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines tion regulator said it would allow expected to vote to approve the Examples include two shipments, for emergency support for carriers. Virgin, Qantas Airways Ltd and measure on Friday and President each containing about five to 10 tonnes “Travel restrictions and evaporat- Regional Express Ltd to coordinate Donald Trump has promised to sign it of medical supplies, bound for Latin ing demand mean that, aside flight schedules and share revenue on into law. America and currently held up in from cargo, there is almost no 10 regional routes. The approval is REUTERS In an effort to raise much-needed Dubai and India. passenger business,” IATA Director conditional on the carriers charging American Airlines passenger planes crowd a runway where they are parked due to flight revenue and keep some planes in the Figures to be published next General Alexandre de Juniac said in a fares no higher than those in place on reductions made to slow the spread of Covid, at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. air, Delta and Air New Zealand said week will show global air freight traf- statement. “For airlines, it’s Feb. 1. “We hope that this temporary they had joined the growing number fic fell around 10 percent in February, apocalypse now.” measure will also support airlines’ demic crisis has passed,” Australian In the United States, United Airlines of carriers offering cargo charters on putting it on course for a 15 percent-20 Singapore Airlines Ltd on Thursday ability to again compete with each Competition and Consumer Holdings Inc unveiled more domestic passenger planes. percent drop for the year as a whole, went into a rare trading halt pending other on these routes once the pan- Commission Chairman Rod Sims said. capacity cuts, meaning its total, Hawaiian Airlines said it had added IATA said.

C M Y K 07 | FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 WORLD BRIEFING Nearly half a million infected worldwide; New Zealand Malaysia’s king, queen mosque gunman under quarantine KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s king and European health systems buckle pleads guilty to queen are under quarantine after seven palace staff members tested WHO chief scolds world leaders for wasting precious time in the fight against the virus that has already killed more than 21,000 people. positive for Covid-19. The palace said murder, terrorism Thursday that seven staff were hospi- talized Tuesday and health authori- ASSOCIATED PRESS grapple with the COVID-19 crisis, ties were trying to identify the source MADRID, MARCH 26 working with engineers from Dyson. of the transmission. It said King The government wants to increase its Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah Worldwide infections from the new ventilators from 8,000 to 30,000. and his wife Tunku Azizah Aminah coronavirus were set top top half a For most people, the coronavirus Maimunah Iskandariah were tested million people on Thursday as both causes mild or moderate symptoms, for the virus, but both were negative. Italy and the United States appeared such as fever and cough that clear up It said the royal couple decided to poised to surpass China, where the in two to three weeks. For some, espe- observe a 14-day self-quarantine from pandemic began. Health care systems cially older adults and people with Wednesday, with deep cleansing to be in Europe and New York buckled existing health problems, it can cause carried out in the palace. Malaysia, under the weight of caring for seri- more severe illness, including pneu- which has 21 deaths and the highest ously ill victims as officials desperate- monia and death. total of cases in Southeast Asia at ly searched for enough ventilators to So far, more than 115,000 people 1,796, has extended its lockdown by keep them alive. have recovered from the virus, and another two weeks to April 14. Faced with the exponential spread health care experts say the key to of the pandemic, the US Senate passed fighting it is to “flatten the curve” — Sri Lanka president requests a $2.2 trillion economic rescue pack- slow the spread of the outbreak so age steering aid to businesses, work- that hospitals aren’t overwhelmed AP/RSS debt moratorium ers and health care systems. Millions with seriously ill patients all at once. Brenton Tarrant COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s president of Americans hoped the measure Slowing the rate of infections will also Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested would give them a lifeline as they lost REUTERS cut the eventual death rate. ASSOCIATED PRESS international donor agencies to pro- jobs, income and child care due to the Ambulance workers wearing protective gear arrive with a patient at La Princesa hospital China’s cases have slowed, with WELLINGTON, MARCH 26 vide a debt moratorium or debt defer- social-distancing rules needed to slow during the Covid-19 outbreak in Madrid, Spain. only 67 new cases reported, all recent ment facility to all developing nations the spread of the virus. arrivals. The man who committed the worst facing the risk of being severely At least 1.5 billion people are now the economy over the health and safe- provide more masks, gloves and gog- The leaders of the Group of 20 larg- atrocity in New Zealand’s modern his- affected by coronavirus. Rajapaksa under severe travel restrictions. But ty of Americans. gles and urged the public to under- est economies were holding a special tory when he slaughtered 51 worship- had urged Director General of the the head of the World Health “I’d like to say, let’s get back to work stand how important onerous social video conference to better coordinate pers at two Christchurch mosques World Health Organization to forward Organization, Tedros Adhanom next Friday,” said Joe Biden, the distancing measures really are. a response to the pandemic, amid crit- unexpectedly pleaded guilty to all this request to multi-lateral and bilat- Ghebreyesus, scolded world leaders front-runner for the Democratic presi- Scientists say stopping just one person icism that the world’s wealthiest coun- charges on Thursday. eral lending agencies. He has pointed for wasting precious time in the fight dential nomination. ”That’d be won- from getting the virus means scores of tries have not taken cohesive action. The attacks targeting people pray- out that such “a relief would be help- against the virus that has already derful. But it can’t be arbitrary.” others will not become infected down The conference was being chaired by ing at the mosques a year ago shocked ful to manage Covid-19 Social killed more than 21,000 people, thrown New York has emerged as a global the road. “Please don’t leave us alone. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. the nation and prompted new laws Distancing, Public Health and Social millions out of work and ravaged the virus hotspot and the governor says Help us help you,” Dr. Francesca De As the virus spreads into new terri- banning the deadliest types of Security Systems in those countries.” world economy. He called it “public infections are doubling nearly every Gennaro, who heads a small medical tories, many countries were taking semi-automatic weapons. It also His statement comes as Sri Lanka enemy No. 1.” few days. The city’s convention center clinic in Italy’s hard-hit Bergamo drastic measures. prompted global changes to social will have to repay a $4.8 billion exter- “The time to act was actually more is being turned into a temporary hos- region, wrote in an open letter. India on Thursday began enforcing media protocols after the gunman nal debt this year amid an economy than a month ago or two months ago,” pital and the state has hit 280 deaths, European Union leaders were con- the world’s largest coronavirus lock- livestreamed his attack on Facebook, that performed poorly last year. he said. ”We squandered the first win- according to a count by Johns Hopkins vening Thursday for their third sum- down, trying to keep its 1.3 billion where it was viewed by hundreds of dow of opportunity ... this is a second University. mit in three weeks as they battled to people indoors. In neighboring thousands of people. opportunity, which we should not In a preview of what might be ahead contain the spread of the coronavirus Pakistan, a caseload of nearly 1,100 The sudden turn in the case took Russia halting international squander and do everything to sup- for the United States, Spain has con- and manage the havoc the disease is infections propelled government survivors and relatives by surprise, flights from today press and control this virus.” verted hotels into makeshift hospitals wreaking on their 27 economies. As efforts to persuade the country’s more and brought relief to people across In the United States, where virus and turned an ice rink in Madrid into the number of deaths in Europe than 200 million people to stay home. New Zealand. Many had feared MOSCOW: Russian government offi- deaths passed 1,050 and some 70,000 a temporary morgue. The curve of soared over 12,000, Spain prolonged a As cases start to rise in Russia, Australian white supremacist Brenton cials announced the halting of all people were infected, a fierce political infections has not slowed in Spain, state of emergency that will allow it to President Vladimir Putin ordered the Harrison Tarrant would try to use his international flights starting from battle raged between those demanding which now has more than 3,600 deaths, impose broader lockdowns while military in to help. The government trial as a platform to promote his Friday amid the coronavirus pandem- urgent action for a months-long siege second only to Italy’s death toll of French President Emmanuel Macron announced it would halt all interna- views. He’d outlined those views in a ic. An exception will be made for against the pandemic, like New York 7,503. “We are collapsing,” said Lidia launched “Operation Resilience,” a tional flights starting Friday and will 74-page manifesto he published online flights bringing Russians home from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and President Perera, a nurse who works at Madrid’s military-backed response to combat have troops build 16 new medical shortly before the attacks. abroad, according to a statement pub- Donald Trump. Hospital de la Paz. “We need more the pandemic. centers to treat virus victims by mid- Tarrant, 29, pleaded guilty to 51 lished Thursday on the cabinet’s web- Trump has expressed hope church- workers.” She said watching patients France began evacuating infected May. Russia says it has 658 cases, but counts of murder, 40 counts of site. Earlier this month, Russian es could return to normal by Easter, die alone is “killing all of us inside.” citizens from the northeastern hot- experts say those figures underreport attempted murder and one count of authorities limited its air traffic to only 17 days away, and grumbled that “Physically this is extremely com- spot of Alsace using a special medical- the crisis there and may be due to the terrorism at the Christchurch High regular flights to world capitals and “our country wasn’t built to be shut plicated, but psychologically it is ized high-speed train that its health lack of testing. Court. He had previously pleaded not charter flights. The new measure down” — apparently concerned that appalling,” said colleague Patricia minister called a “first in Europe.” Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of guilty to all charges and his trial had comes as the number of coronavirus the outbreak’s devastating effects on Núñez, a nurse who is recovering Around 20 patients were being taken the White House’s coronavirus task been scheduled to start in June. cases in Russia rapidly grows. On financial markets and employment from being infected herself. from Strasbourg to hospitals in the force, urged people to understand just Tarrant is the first person to be Wednesday, the government reported will harm his reelection chances. In Italy, doctors and nurses have Pays-de-la-Loire and other regions. how important each one of them is to found guilty of terrorism in New a total of 658 cases. (AGENCIES) Democrats say Trump is prioritizing been begging the government daily to Britain ordered 10,000 ventilators to stopping the pandemic. Zealand under laws passed after the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US. The change in plea came less than two weeks after New Zealanders com- memorated those who died on the anniversary of the March 15, 2019, Washington playing dangerous attacks. “Honestly, I’m still trying to process what just happened,” said Aya Al-Umari, whose brother Hussein was game, Beijing says, after warship killed in the attack on the Al Noor mosque. “I feel conflicted.” She said that on the one hand, she sails through Taiwan Strait had wanted to find out more details about what happened at the trial but REUTERS way and was monitored by Taiwan’s on the other hand was feeling relieved TAIPEI, MARCH 26 armed forces, on what it called an about not having to face the trauma of “ordinary mission”, adding there was sitting through it. China accused the United States on no cause for alarm. Temel Atacocugu, who survived Thursday of playing a dangerous game In Beijing, Chinese defence ministry being shot nine times during the with its support for Taiwan, after a US spokesman Ren Guoqiang denounced attack at Al Noor, said he was sur- warship passed through the sensitive “continued negative actions” by the prised by the turn of events and hoped Taiwan Strait following heightened United States on Taiwan, including the judge would set an example at the military tension between China and sailings through and flights over the sentencing by imposing the harshest Taiwan. Taiwan Strait. “US moves have seri- punishment in the country’s history China has been angered by the ously interfered in China’s internal and helping ensure nothing like it Trump administration’s stepped-up affairs, severely harmed peace and sta- would happen again. support for the island it considers its bility in the Taiwan Strait and poi- Judge Cameron Mander has not yet own, such as more arms sales, US soned Sino-US military ties,” Ren told set a sentencing date. Tarrant faces patrols near Taiwan and last month’s a monthly news conference. life imprisonment, with the judge hav- visit to Washington by Taiwan Vice The actions were “extremely danger- ing some discretion in deciding the President-elect William Lai. ous”, he added. minimum number of years Tarrant Anthony Junco, a spokesman for the Taiwan is China’s most sensitive must serve before becoming eligible US Seventh Fleet, said the guided-mis- territorial and diplomatic issue and for parole. sile destroyer USS McCampbell con- Beijing has never ruled out the use of The change in plea came at a hastily ducted “a routine Taiwan Strait tran- force to bring the island under its con- arranged court hearing at a time that sit” on March 25, in line with interna- trol. The narrow Taiwan Strait that New Zealand was beginning a four- tional law. “The ship’s transit through separates the island from China is a week lockdown to try and combat the the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US frequent source of tension. new coronavirus. The lockdown commitment to a free and open Indo- In recent weeks China’s air force has meant Tarrant appeared in the court Pacific,” he added. “The US Navy will conducted several exercises close to via video link from his jail cell in continue to fly, sail and operate any- Taiwan, prompting its mostly Auckland and only a handful of people where international law allows.” US-equipped military to scramble REUTERS were allowed inside the courtroom, Taiwan’s defence ministry said the fighters to intercept and warn away Customers wearing protective face masks make their transactions through a plastic barrier as a preventive measure including the imams from the two ship sailed north through the water- the Chinese aircraft. against Covid-19 in a local grocery in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Thursday. mosques that were attacked. Daily bread? In France, fighting virus one baguette at a time

ASSOCIATED PRESS some in France are now buying freezing. He used to buy one daily. ers, agreed. No sooner had he bought LE VESINET (FRANCE), MARCH 26 baguettes by the armful and freezing When the government locked down their baguette that he ripped one end them. That would have been a gastro- France earlier this month, shutting off and nibbled it, right there in the In France, the fight against Covid-19 is nomic no-no in normal times. But down schools and stores deemed street. That crusty nub of pleasure being waged one baguette at a time. defrosting and reheating is now a non-essential and forcing families even has its own name — “le quignon.” No longer just a mere staple, the pragmatic, civic-minded and indoors, it also gave bakers special “It’s better fresh. It’s hot, crusty,” he iconic loaf and the French daily ritual health-conscious compromise, cer- dispensation to work every day of the said. And baguette-buying “allows us of buying it have become loaded with tainly better than no baguette at all. week if they wish. to get out.” moral, civic and public health consid- The French have baked long loaves Baker Margot Hazard says she and “The sharing of bread is an anchor erations that could never have been for centuries and coined “baguette” her husband, Cyril, feel that with at the dinner table, at family meals,” imagined before the new coronavirus — or stick — around 120 years ago in their breads and cakes, they are pro- she said. “We feel a need to focus on turned life upside down. Paris. Millions of French consume viding a slice of normalcy to custom- family, on food, for life to go on. It’s In a nation in lockdown, popping billions of baguettes each year, and ers who line up, standing apart, out- symbolic.” out for a fresh baguette is proving a not just as fuel. Diners use hunks of side their door, respecting each other’s But in the Mediterranean town of handy excuse for people to get out of bread as tools for pushing food around space and handwritten signs on the Sanary-sur-Mer, buying only one the house. There is one notable excep- their plates and onto their forks. The window that read: “Three people max- baguette risks a police fine of 135 tion: a town on the Mediterranean crust makes the bread easy to grip; its imum in the bakery.” euros ($146). Mayor Ferdinand coast where the mayor has banned airy internal sponge soaks up sauces “The work really is tough at the Bernhard says people shouldn’t be people from doing just that, to keep and the bloody juices of cooked meats. moment,” Hazard said. “Some clients using the buying of bread as an excuse them indoors. A baguette’s saltiness accentuates fla- are very worried about us touching to go out every day. But eschewing the crusty comfort vors, while its doughy neutrality their bread and touching their change. “Anyone caught coming out of a of a fresh-baked baguette has become tames the tang of the most pungent They are all a bit on edge. And we are bakery with just one loaf will be significant, too — a small sacrifice in cheeses. on edge, too.” fined,” he said in a telephone inter- this new era where sacrifices are AP/RSS “It’s indispensable. You need bread But “it is super important for every- view. “If you go once a week, you cut being asked of many. For some, not A vendor wearing a protective mask puts a baguette in a paper bag at a bakery in Paris. to push your food stuffs, to give them one’s morale,” she added. “It’s impor- the risk by a factor of seven — for you, buying bread daily and instead stay- taste, for nourishment. It is good for tant that people eat what they want to the baker, his entourage and yours.” ing indoors to try to stay healthy has For most people, the new coronavi- ple with existing health problems, it everything,” masked shopper Yves eat, to keep their spirits up.” “This is no time for people’s moods. become an act in itself, a gesture of rus causes mild or moderate symp- can cause more severe illness, includ- Lagrellette said this week as he made “A life without bread, cheese and The priority is to not get sick,” he solidarity with the French doctors and toms, such as fever and cough that ing pneumonia, and death. what has now become his weekly wine is not French,” she said. said. “You can freeze bread. You can nurses fighting to save lives in stressed clear up in two to three weeks. For Trying to steer a path between their baguette run in Le Vesinet, west of Customers Marie and Jean-Claude even live without it. It’s not a sacrifice. emergency wards. some, especially older adults and peo- love of bread and beating the virus, Paris. He bought five in one go, for Lemeux, now work-from-home bank- It’s an adaptation.”

C M Y K FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 | 08 SPORTS (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053

BRIEFING Time running out

Russian cyclists’ lawsuit against for Wimbledon WADA dismissed LONDON: The World Anti-Doping Agency Championships (WADA) said on Wednesday it welcomed a decision by the Superior Court of REUTERS Justice of Ontario to dismiss a lawsuit LONDON, MARCH 26 that three Russian cyclists brought against it and investigator Richard This year’s Wimbledon Championships McLaren. The cyclists had been seeking have so far survived the cull of the damages over their exclusion from the world’s most prestigious sporting Rio 2016 Olympics after a WADA- events due to the coronavirus pandem- commissioned report by Canadian law- ic, but it seems only a matter of time yer McLaren found evidence of wide- before they are postponed or can- spread doping and manipulation of dop- celled. ing tests by Russian athletes and offi- With London in its first week of cials. In granting a summary dismissal, lockdown, All England Lawn Tennis made on Feb. 11, the court ruled the Club (AELTC) officials are weighing issues raised by the Russian cyclists up their limited options. were essentially sports-related matters The ‘build’ for the June 29-July 12 that fell within the exclusive jurisdic- championships is supposed to start in tion of the Court of Arbitration for little over a month but it seems Sport (CAS). increasingly likely Wimbledon will be forced to miss a year for the first time UK Sport hopeful of funding since 1945. “The AELTC has been contingency for Games in 2021 planning since January, working LONDON: UK Sport chair Katherine AP/RSS closely with the UK government and Grainger has said the organisation will In this February 19 file photo, spectators sit in the stands during the Champions League round of 16, first leg match between Atalanta and Valencia at the San Siro stadium public health authorities to follow hold discussions with the government in Milan, Italy. It was the biggest football game in Atalanta’s history and a third of Bergamo’s population made the short trip to Milan’s famed San Siro Stadium to witness it. their advice and understand the likely on extending Team GB’s current level Nearly 2,500 fans of visiting Spanish club Valencia also travelled to the match. More than a month later, experts are pointing to that game as one of the biggest reasons why impact of Covid-19 and the govern- of funding through to next year’s Bergamo has become one of the epicentres of the coronavirus pandemic and why 35 percent of Valencia’s team became infected. ment’s emergency measures on The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics. A total of Championships, and our thoughts are 345 million pounds ($408.9 million) was with all those affected by this crisis at allocated for Tokyo 2020 Olympic and this time,” the club said in a statement Paralympic athletes but with the cur- on Wednesday. rent funding cycle running until March “Based on the advice we have 2021 it may no longer cover the Games ICC postpones T20 World Cup qualifiers received from the public health as intended. On Tuesday, the authorities, the very short window International Olympic Committee (IOC) available to us to stage The said the Tokyo Games would be post- India host next year’s T20 World Cup and the 50-overs event in 2023. The decision will affect as many as eight events. Championships due to the nature of poned until next year due to the corona- our surface suggests that postpone- virus pandemic. ment is not without significant risk REUTERS India host next year’s T20 World outbreak, which has suspended all of and difficulty,” it added. MUMBAI, MARCH 26 Cup and the 50-overs event in 2023. As the country’s major sporting competi- The AELTC said playing behind Australia seeks age limit lift for many as eight events will now be post- tions that run during the autumn and closed doors was not an option. Olympic football tournament The International Cricket Council poned due to the ICC decision. winter. The Australian Open, the year’s (ICC) said on Thursday that all quali- This year’s women’s T20 World Cup Some Australian players are signed first Grand Slam, was completed SYDNEY: Football Federation Australia fying events for the 2021 Twenty20 was held in February-March in with teams in the Indian Premier before the coronavirus crisis exploded wants FIFA and the IOC to increase the World Cup and 50-overs version in Australia, which will also host the League but the lucrative T20 tourna- to virtually shut down world sport, age limit for the Olympic men’s tourna- 2023 that were scheduled to be held men’s version starting in October. The ment has been postponed at least until including the men’s ATP Tour and ment in the wake of the Tokyo Games before June 30 have been postponed World Cup trophy tour for the men’s mid-April and may end up being women’s WTA Tour. being pushed back to 2021 because of due to the coronavirus pandemic. event, which was scheduled to start scrapped like many other tourna- The French Open last week made the coronavirus pandemic. The IOC and The flu-like virus has infected more next month, was also postponed. ments that have succumbed to the the decision to move the claycourt Tokyo organisers agreed this week to than 470,800 people around the world REUTERS pandemic. “The truth is for me per- tournament to Sept. 20-Oct. 4 from its postponed the Olympics, which were and killed over 21,200, according to a A general view of the ICC Cricket World Staying home is like ‘nirvana’ sonally and for all the players, this is May start because of the outbreak. scheduled to open July 24, to the north- Reuters tally, since appearing in China Cup trophy. like nirvana in the fact we’re home While the postponement of ern summer of next year. No dates have at the end of last year. for Australian players: Coach with our families, we sleep in our own the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday poten- been set, and no revised qualifying cri- The pandemic has also brought to postpone all events up until the end MELBOURNE: Staying home during the beds, we eat home cooked dinners and tially opened a two-week slot in the teria have been formalised. Australian global sport to a standstill and the ICC of June subject to further review,” national lockdown to contain the coro- we can still work in one degree or calendar in July/August, it would Olympic Committee chief executive said in a statement the World Cup Chris Tetley, ICC head of events, said. navirus is like “nirvana” for another from home,” Langer told appear unlikely Wimbledon would Matt Carroll and FFA chief executive qualifiers would also be impacted. “Work will continue on contingency Australian cricketers as they general- reporters on Thursday. use it. James Johnson plan to “open up discus- “In light of the significant global plans and options for both men’s qual- ly have to live out of a suitcase, head Government containment measures Switching to a later time in the year sions” with football’s world governing health concerns at the current time ification pathways. We will provide coach Justin Langer has said. to shut down virtually all non-essen- is even less likely as Wimbledon has body and Asian Football Confederation and the restrictions on movement updates in due course on these plans Australian cricket is in its off-sea- tial businesses have already hit the only two covered courts and elite out- on increasing the age limit from 23 to 24 imposed by governments across the and decisions on the staging of the son and has been largely insulated economy, with thousands of workers door grasscourt tennis is not feasible for the Tokyo tournament. (AGENCIES) world, the ICC has taken the decision remaining events this year.” from the impact of the coronavirus laid off or stood down without pay. past late summer. Sports authorities England’s Stokes gearing up for IPL despite lockdown REUTERS the IPL,” Stokes told BBC Radio 5 home after England’s tour of Sri working towards BENGALURU, MARCH 26 Live. “That hasn’t changed yet so Lanka was postponed due to the I have to think I will be playing on coronavirus outbreak. England all-rounder Ben Stokes April 20. The 28-year-old said says he is working hard to stay in “I have to get my head round England’s players were shocked July-August shape for next month’s Indian that I am playing even though in when the two-match test series Premier League, even though he the back of my mind I know I am was called off but that it was knows the tournament is unlikely probably not. I have to build up the right thing to do in the to go ahead. and get myself physically in a circumstances. Olympics in 2021 Stokes is one of the 13 England position that if it does happen I “When you put everything players due to feature in the REUTERS am good to go. together in terms of where lucrative franchise-based A file photo shows England cricket team vice-captain Ben Stokes (centre) and his “I cannot take three weeks off the world was with the Twenty20 competition, which has teammates earlier this month, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. and expect the body to be ready coronavirus ... it was the wrong been postponed to April 15 due to because it doesn’t work like that.” place to be at that time and every- the coronavirus pandemic. minimise the spread of the virus, further. Stokes, who would play for one’s health is more important On Wednesday, India entered a but IPL organisers have yet to call “At the moment my next com- Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, is than anything else in the world,” three-week lockdown period to off the competition or delay it petitive cricket is going to be in spending a prolonged period at he added.

AP/RSS A man walks in front of a Tokyo Olympics logo at the Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters in the Japanese capital.

REUTERS TOKYO, MARCH 26

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is working with sports bodies to arrange a July-August window for the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and hopes to confirm the schedule within a month, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper reported on Thursday. John Coates, the IOC’s Coordination Commission chief for Tokyo, told the Yomiuri the Games would have to be held between the tennis Grand Slams of Wimbledon, slated to end in mid-July, and the U.S. Open, which starts in late August. “We want to more or less finalise the dates in four weeks’ time,” the paper quoted Coates as saying. Coates, who is also president of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), said the summer scheduling would be dependent on avoiding clashes with the world champion- ships for swimming (July 16-Aug. 1) and athletics (Aug. 6-15). World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe has said the world athletics championships in Eugene, Oregon could be moved back to 2022 if necessary. Coates told the newspaper the hope was to follow the same arrangements next year that had been planned for 2020, including holding the marathon in the northern city of Sapporo instead of Tokyo to escape the heat. The AOC confirmed the Yomiuri report’s veracity and also told Reuters in a statement that Coates had “proffered a view but confirms a range of options are on the table for the IOC”. The IOC and Japanese government succumbed to intense pressure from athletes and sporting bodies around the world on Tuesday, agreeing to push back the Games by as much as a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. IOC President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday that “all options” were on the table for rescheduling, including hold- ing the Games before the Japanese summer.

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