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Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal
Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1
-Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence
Date: 20 January 2022
Kathmandu, Nepal
EMERGING THEME(S)
• Nepal reported 9 502 new COVID-19 infections on 19 January, the highest 24-hour figure since onset of pandemic in
March 2020, 4 deaths; active caseload stands at 47 929
• COVID-19 infection rate reported at 52.6%, the highest average infection rate the country has recorded till now; Health
Ministry projects COVID-19 infection will peak on 26 January with highest number of infections being recorded between
22-29 January; daily infections surging in Morang but people still carrying on with crowd activities; infection on the rise in
Gandaki Province, but people still not going for tests; only 3 local levels of Baitadi have made preparations to counter
the third wave
• With test positivity rate at dangerous highs, health experts suggest treating each case as COVID-19 infection and
prepare measures accordingly; though number of COVID-19 infections is high, hospitalization rate is low comparatively,
critically ill COVID-19 patients is 4 times less in third wave than in the second, according to Dr Manisha Rawal; anyone
with a sore throat testing for Antigen/PCR Test these days are found to be COVID-19 positive, says Dr Sher Bahadur
Pun
• Cost of PCR Test slashed to Rs 800 for asymptomatic people, those showing symptoms can get the test done for free in
government centers; private testing facilities can now charge Rs 1 500 per test as against the earlier cost of Rs 2 000
• Nepal Aushadhi Ltd and other drug manufacturers to send around 1 500 000 pills of Cetamol into the market within 2
days after a meeting with Department of Drug Administration to address the shortage; Health Ministry has said there is
no shortage of Cetamol as has been portrayed in the market; health center in Satdobato fined for creating artificial
shortage; Health Ministry warns that action will be taken against anyone found to be involved in the buying and selling of
COVID-19 vaccine that is being given for free by the government
1This intelligence is tracked through manually monitoring national print, digital and online media through a representative sample selection,
and consultations with media persons and media influencers.
WHE Communications Intelligence 2RECURRING THEME(S)
• Almost 1.5/2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines unaccounted for: Health Secretary
• District administration authorities of 3 districts of Kathmandu Valley issue fresh regulatory orders to be applicable till 12
February; Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet has banned the maskless entry into hotels, restaurants and public places;
those without masks in public places in Kathmandu to be penalized Rs 100; crowds seen taking the COVID-19 vaccine
as vaccine cards have been made mandatory in public places; a copy of vaccine card can be got from the hospital or
healthpost where one got vaccinated in case of loss of the card
• Home Ministry rules out mandatory Antigen Tests for flyers on domestic flights, makes double masks and vaccine card
necessary
• No immediate restrictions on economic activities in the face of third wave of COVID-19 pandemic
ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS
Nepal on 19 January recorded 11 352 cases of COVID-19 — 9 502 of which were detected via PCR tests, and 1 850 via RDT,
the highest 24-hour figures reported since the onset on the pandemic in March of 2020.Prior to this, the highest single-day
infections were reported on 11 May 2021 where 9 317 people had tested positive via PCR testing. Similarly, 4 persons have
succumbed to the disease taking the national COVID-19 death toll to 11 628.Nepal's COVID-19 active caseload has climbed to
47 929 with continuous addition of cases being reported frequently.2
The government has not yet confirmed if anyone has died due to the Omicron variant in Nepal despite the country recording
COVID-19 related deaths after the spread of the Omicron variant here. The Omicron variant related infections increased in
Nepal from the second week of Poush and the country has recorded 30 deaths during this period. It has not been confirmed
whether those deaths were due to the Omicron or Delta variant.3
2
THT Online
3
Setopati
WHE Communications Intelligence 3A 76-year old male died of COVID-19 infection while undergoing treatment in Dharan on 18 January. He tested positive for COVID-19 on 12 January.4 The COVID-19 infection has been confirmed in 52.6% of the total PCR tests done in the past 24 hours in Nepal. This is the highest average infection rate the country has recorded as of now, according to Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, Joint Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population.5 The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has projected that the COVID-19 infection will peak on 26 January. The projection has been made on the basis of the daily increase in infection, state of the infection of other countries, and tests. The highest number of infections will be recorded between 22 January and 29 January. The cases of daily infection will reach around 20 000 around that time. The MoHP has said the infection will start declining after the first week of Falgun (20 February onwards).6 More than half of the total cases of COVID-19 infection is in the Capital at a time when the number of new daily cases is around 10 000. But there are no health check-ups or any kind of caution at 4 checkposts — Nagdhunga, Sanga, Tinpiple, and Pharping — the entry and exit points of Kathmandu.7 The COVID-19 infection has started to spread rapidly again across the nation. The daily infection cases are high in border cities and major cities. The data of the Ministry of Health and Population has shown the infection is being confirmed in nearly 50% of the total tests done.8 The COVID-19 infection is increasing in almost all districts of Gandaki Province, as per the Provincial Health Directorate. Only Manang district of the Province is in the green zone as of 17 January. Many citizens are showing COVID-19-like symptoms in the province, but they have not opted for testing. The healthcare workers estimate that the number of cases of infection will increase even more if the tests are increased.9 4 Onlinekhabar 5 Ratopati 6 Nayapatrika 7 Nayapatrika 8 Annapurna Post 9 Nagarik WHE Communications Intelligence 4
The daily COVID-19 infections have been increasing in Morang. A total of 166 cases were confirmed on 16 January, it was 227 on 17 January. Despite the surge in the daily cases, the activities creating crowds that include gatherings, festivals and melas, are still being organized in the district.10 The local levels of Baitadi have made no preparations to deal with the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The local administration has instructed all the local levels to prepare isolation centers, but only three local levels of the district have made the isolation centers ready as of now.11 The number of Nepalis entering the country via the Satti customs of Kailali from India has increased with a spike in COVID-19 cases in India. With this, special monitoring of those entering Nepal is being done at the Khakraula Health Desk. The Antigen Test is being done of suspected people, and the unvaccinated are being administered the vaccine at the border checkpost. 12 Arrangements are being made to keep the COVID-19 infected in the holding centers in Kanchanpur with an increase in the infection in the district. Preparations have been made following the decision of the government to give the responsibility of managing the holding centers to the Social Development Ministry of the provinces.13 COVID-19 INFECTION: HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL, OTHER WORKFORCE One hundred and seventeen doctors and healthcare workers of different hospitals of Chitwan district have tested positive for coronavirus. These doctors, healthcare workers and hospital staffers were infected with the virus within a few days following the surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the district.14 Thirty healthcare workers, including 2 specialist doctors and 4 medical officers at Trishuli Hospital, Nuwakot have contracted coronavirus. Healthcare workers got infected after the number of people visiting the hospital for COVID-19 test increased alarmingly.15 10 Nagarik 11 Nagarik 12 Ratopati 13 Setopati 14 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) 15 Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times) WHE Communications Intelligence 5
As many as 65 persons tested positive for COVID-19 and an infected person died in Saptari on 18 January.16 A total of 52 healthcare workers and staff working at different hospitals and health institutions of Makawanpur have tested positive for COVID-19 infection.17 A total of 75 doctors, nurses and healthcare workers of Koshi Hospital, Biratnagar have been infected with COVID-19. This has affected the health services of the hospital.18 More than 4% staff members of the Nepal Rastra Bank and commercial banks have been infected with COVID-19 in the third wave of the pandemic. A total of 148 out of 1 100 staff of the Nepal Rastra Bank had been infected as of 17 January. More than 2 000 have been infected in different commercial banks, while the development banks and financial companies have not collected the data of their infected staff members. With an increase in the infection in bank staff, services at branches of banks are being suspended.19 Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwo Prakash Sharma has tested positive for COVID-19 — he said he was infected as he was not careful during public programs.20 The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) has the capacity to carry out over 3 500 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests a day. But on 18 January, only 258 tests were performed there. Of them, 252 people’s tests returned positive results – a staggering 98%. Looking at the numbers, Dr Kishor Pandey, a tropical and infectious disease expert, said, “The virus has taken hold in communities. Not only in cities, which are densely populated, it has reached rural areas as well.” Public health experts say questions now are: What next? What measures to take? How to save lives? According to them, as almost everyone being tested seems to be getting a positive result, questions have arisen over the relevance of expanding testing. 16 The Himalayan Times 17 Kantipur 18 Ratopati 19 Nayapatrika 20 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 6
Experts say the best move now should be to consider all cases having COVID-19-like symptoms as COVID-19 infections and prepare measures accordingly to fight the disease.21 Dealing with COVID-19 requires decisive and evidence- based leadership committed to working in the public interest. Unfortunately, Nepal is yet to demonstrate this as is evident from the lazy, opaque, and visionless vaccination program. The COVID-19 vaccination drive can still be fixed with common sense and time-tested lessons from Nepal’s home-grown immunization experience.22 There is a high number of COVID-19 cases, but the hospital admission rate is very low, as per Dr Manisha Rawal, Director of the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. There are only 13 COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital as of now and the number is very less as compared to the second wave. Likewise, the number of critically-ill COVID- 19 patients in the third wave is 4 times less than in the second wave.23 Anyone with a sore throat going for Antigen or PCR tests these days is being confirmed with COVID-19 infection, as per infectious disease expert Dr Sher Bahadur Pun. Pain in the body and headache, mild fever, runny nose, and feeling of tiredness are also other symptoms seen this time. If anyone is showing these symptoms, s/he might be infected with the Omicron variant, he said.24 The government had decided to reduce the cost of COVID-19 test through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The cost of RT-PCR tests have now been slashed to Rs 800 in government testing centers for asymptomatic test takers, while those showing symptoms can take the tests free of cost. Previously, the rate had been set at Rs 1 000.Likewise, private testing facilities can now charge Rs 1 500 as against the earlier rate of Rs 2 000. The decision to cut down the cost of tests comes in 21 The Kathmandu Post 22 The Himalayan Times 23 Setopati 24 Setopati WHE Communications Intelligence 7
the wake of increase in number of people testing for the infection corresponding to the sharp spike in daily-reported numbers. Nepal saw an all time record-high 9 502 cases on 19 January.25 The government has reduced the cost of PCR test. While the test can be done free of cost for symptomatic patients in government hospitals and labs, others will be charged Rs 800 — it was Rs 1 000 before. Likewise, the rate for private hospitals and labs has been fixed at Rs 1 500, it was RS 2 000 before.26 The government owned Nepal Aushadhi Limited and other drug manufacturers have agreed to send around 1 500 000 tablets of Cetamol into the market within 2 days in a 18 January meeting called by the Department of Drug Administration. There has been a shortage of Cetamol in the market amidst the COVID-19 pandemic but the Department has said the shortage has been seen due to some problems in the supply chain. It has also urged the public not to stock Cetamol unnecessarily in their homes.27 The Ministry of Health and Population has said Nepal has sufficient stock of Cetamol, and there is no shortage of the medicine as portrayed in the market. It also claimed that there is no shortage of any kind of medicine as of now. 28 Gosaikunda Health Service Center of Satdobato has been fined Rs 10 000 for creating an artificial shortage of Cetamol. The Department of Commerce and Supply Management fined the pharmacy that was found to be storing Cetamol in its godown though it has been sending away customers saying the medicine is not available. The Department has also urged the public to immediately inform it if someone is found to be creating a shortage of any kind of medicine amidst the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic.29 25 THT Online 26 Onlinekhabar 27 Onlinekhabar 28 Baahrakhari 29 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 8
Stating that the government is providing the vaccine against COVID-19 free of cost, the Ministry of Health and Population has warned that action will be taken against those involved in the buying and selling of the vaccine.30 There is an acute shortage of Cetamol in the market at a time when the COVID-19 infection has been spreading rapidly across the nation. Many infected had to suffer due to the shortage of Cetamol even during the first and second waves of the COVID- 19 pandemic. The shortage is being created to increase the price of the medicine, but as the government is not serious or sensitive about this issue, the problem is getting worse.31 Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Roshan Pokharel on 18 January told the Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives that 1 500 000 vaccine doses were unaccounted for. Pokharel said vaccine centers did not keep records of approximately 1 00 000 to 1 500 000 vaccines they provided to the public. 32 Health Secretary Roshan Pokharel has admitted that there is no record of 2 400 000 doses of against COVID-19 vaccines that the government procured using its own money or via grant assistance from other countries. But there is no investigation into how this mismanagement happened and who is responsible for this. On one hand, senior citizens and children have not got the vaccine against COVID-19, and the general public are forced to wait in queue for an entire day to get the first dose of vaccine, on the other hand many are taking the vaccine on the basis of access to power, and there is no record of such vaccine administration. There have been comments of the buying and selling of vaccines too. This has brought up not only the carelessness of the government in keeping records and making related updates on administered vaccines, but also puts countries that have provided vaccine support to Nepal on high alert.33 30 Baahrakhari 31 Kantipur 32 The Himalayan Times 33 Kantipur WHE Communications Intelligence 9
The district administration authorities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur have issued fresh regulatory measures barring gatherings and performing of rituals at religious sites. This rule will be applicable till 12 February or the end of the Nepali month of Magh.34 Issuing an additional notice of safety protocols on 18 January, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of the Ministers has ordered a ban on entry of those without face masks into hotels, restaurants, and public places. 35 The District Administration Office of Kathmandu has started penalizing those walking around in public places without wearing masks a sum of Rs 100.36 The 19 January meeting of the District COVID-19 Crisis Management Center has put a ban on all kinds of gatherings in the district of Parsa till 12 February to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.37 The District Administration Office of Kathmandu has said it has made the vaccine card mandatory to avail of public services from 21 January to motivate the people who have not taken the vaccine against COVID-19 to get the jab.38 The vaccine card has been mandatory in public places to keep the record of people who have already taken the vaccine against COVID-19, and also to motivate people to get the jab, as per Assistant Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Umakanta Adhikari.39 The vaccine card has been made mandatory for those visiting the Central Zoo, effective from 19 January. 40 The crowd of people taking the booster dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 can be seen in the hospitals of Kathmandu that is in the red zone. With the introduction of the prohibitory orders in public places of Kathmandu, the number of people getting 34 The Himalayan Times 35 Ratopati 36 Onlinekhabar 37 Onlinekhabar 38 Onlinekhabar 39 Setopati 40 Ratopati WHE Communications Intelligence 10
the vaccine has increased.41 One can get a copy of the vaccine card from the hospital or healthpost where one was vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. This provision has been made for those who have lost their vaccine card. 42 The government has issued an order that public vehicles cannot carry passengers more than the seating capacity. But this protocol has not been followed and such vehicles are crowded, increasing the risk of the spread of COVID-19 infection. Plus, the health protocols of wearing masks, using sanitizers have also not been followed in all such vehicles.43 The 3 districts of Kathmandu Valley have the highest number of COVID-19 infections. Yet the local levels have not put any significant effort to control and contain the infection. Due to the lack of enough infrastructure at the quarantine centers, the infected are forced to stay in their homes in isolation. This has increased the risk of other members of the family getting infected. Those showing COVID-19 symptoms are also walking around freely, without going for Antigen or PCR tests.44 The government has adopted the policy of the ‘use of administrative force’ to control the COVID-19 pandemic rather than making necessary health preparations. The government’s activities are slow in regard to regulation of the cross-border mobility and health checkup, easy management of vaccines, contact tracing of the infected, and mobilization of rapid response teams with healthcare workers. However, the administrations have issued orders that range from curtailing public services to banning activities that hamper the earnings of laborers to control of mobility in the name of controlling the infection. The district administration offices have been given the right to impose lockdown, but there is no single quarantine center in the Capital Kathmandu and people from low income families are forced to cram in 1 room despite being infected. The public had violated the lockdown and prohibitory orders due to a lack of efficient public health services in the past. But rather than learning from it and providing health services with ease, the government has opted to use administrative forces to control the infection.45 41 Onlinekhabar 42 Baahrakhari 43 Ratopati 44 Kantipur 45 Kantipur WHE Communications Intelligence 11
A meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs has made a verbal agreement to not make the Antigen Test mandatory in domestic
flights. Though the Cabinet meeting decided to make the test mandatory, the meeting of the Home Ministry decided not to
make it mandatory saying it is not practical for domestic flights of short duration. Instead, flyers should wear double masks and
carry the vaccine card with them.46
Minister for Finance Janardan Sharma and State Minister of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Umesh
Shrestha said there won’t be any kind of immediate restrictions on economic activities. They said so during a discussion held
at the Finance Ministry on the possible economic impact to be caused by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.47
OTHER(S)
National News
SUSPENSION OF SERVICES
The Supreme Court on 18 January decided to cut its service for 2 weeks after 31 of its staffers including justices, chief registrar
and other employees contracted COVID-19.48
The Kathmandu District Administration Office has announced to halt all its services starting on 19 January till further notice.
“Due to the regular and direct contact with service seekers, staff associated with public service delivery in different
46
Onlinekhabar
47
Onlinekhabar
48
The Himalayan Times
WHE Communications Intelligence 12departments in our office, have been infected with COVID-19. All daily regular services have been stopped from 19 January until further notice,” reads a notice posted on its website.49 The District Administration Office has suspended the distribution of electronic passports and registration process of national identity card after some of its staff tested positive for COVID-19.50 The District Administration Office of Kathmandu has suspended the distribution of citizenship and some other services after some of its staff tested positive for COVID-19.51 All except for the emergency services in the District Administration Office Lalitpur will be suspended from 20 January for an indefinite period of time with the increase in the COVID-19 cases and the staff having tested positive for COVID-19.52 All services except for the emergency have been suspended in District Administration Office of Bhaktapur after the staff there tested positive for COVID-19.53 Aanbukhaireni Rural Municipality Office has been sealed in Tanahun for 5 days after 15 people including people’s representatives and employees tested positive for coronavirus.54 The students of Purbanchal University (PU) are forced to sit for exams despite being infected with COVID-19. Some of the students pursuing the BA LLB in the Kathmandu School of Law are COVID-19 infected, but PU has forced them to sit for exams and health protocols are also not being followed in the exam centers. So is the case of Kathmandu University and Tribhuvan University as well.55 49 The Kathmandu Post 50 Onlinekhabar 51 Baahrakhari 52 Onlinekhabar 53 Ratopati 54 The Himalayan Times 55 Baahrakhari WHE Communications Intelligence 13
A scuffle ensued between students of a college and police personnel in Kathmandu after the students staged a protest against their college administration for making COVID-19 infected students and other students sit in the same hall for exams. The police resorted to lathi-charge to control the situation in which some students were injured.56 The government has urged people to stay in a 5-day quarantine if they have shown symptoms of COVID-19 or suspect being infected. They can come out of the isolation only after testing negative after that. However, they need to stay in a 7-day quarantine if they have not tested for the virus.57 The collection of swabs and PCR Test has begun at the Bakulahar Ratnanagar Hospital of Chitwan from 19 January.58 A total of 132 frontliners have been administered the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Tanahun on the first day of the campaign of administering the booster dose to those who have completed 6 months of taking the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.59 The Health Office of Jhapa has prepared to administer the booster dose of vaccine against COVID-19 to nearly 25 000 frontliners of the district this week.60 The booster dose will be administered to the judges and staff of the Supreme Court on 20 January on the premises of the court.61 The Pashupatinath Temple has been closed to visitors from 19 January with the rapid spread of the COVID-19 infection in the country.62 Visitors have been banned from entering the Manakamana Temple from 18 January. The meeting of the Manakamana Area 56 Onlinekhabar 57 Ratopati 58 Onlinekhabar 59 Ratopati 60 Setopati 61 Ratopati 62 Setopati WHE Communications Intelligence 14
Development Trust decided to impose the ban to control the crowd with the surge in COVID-19 infections.63 Nepal Police has arrested 2 pharmacists from Hetaunda for selling face masks at exorbitant rates.64 The District Administration Office Bhaktapur has taken action against 152 people walking in public places without wearing masks on 19 January.65 The Nepal Bar Association, which had been staging sit-in protests on the premises of the Supreme Court demanding the resignation of the Chief Justice, has changed the format of its protest with the surge in COVID-19 infections in the country. It will now conduct massive virtual discussions and not hold protest programs requiring physical presence of the protestors until 1 February.66 More than 100 000 people who have got the insurance against COVID-19 infection are frustrated now as their insurance claim has not been paid. There has been a conflict between insurance companies, Insurance Board and Ministry of Finance regarding the payment of the insurance amount to the public. The insurance companies have said it is the responsibility of the Finance Ministry to pay the insurance claim, but the Ministry has been dilly-dallying on the payment.67 The COVID-19 infected will be allowed to vote in the National Assembly elections, according to a 19-point protocol issued by the Election Commission. Separate polling booths will be arranged for the infected.68 The tourism sector of Pokhara has fallen silent in the past 2 weeks due to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The domestic tourists, who had been keeping the tourism sector mobile there in recent days, have stopped coming out of their homes due to the new variant, as per tourism entrepreneurs.69 63 Nayapatrika 64 Setopati 65 Ratopati 66 Ratopati 67 Nagarik 68 Onlinekhabar WHE Communications Intelligence 15
The first lockdown in 2020 lasted for almost 4 months. The second lockdown in 2021 too lasted for 4 months. Amidst this,
startups saw their business run to the ground. “Both the lockdowns almost killed our business,” Mrigendra Karn, founder of
Washmandu, an online on-demand laundry said. “The startups have already faced the first and second waves of the
pandemic, they do not have enough funds to grow now,” said Kavi Raj Joshi, founder and managing director of Next Venture
Corp. “The third wave is going to be terribly painful for entrepreneurs.” 70
International News
Australia reported a record high of COVID-19 deaths on 18 deaths, and its second-largest state declared an emergency in
hospitals to cope with surging patient admissions and a staffing shortage due to the coronavirus. The 74 deaths occurred in its
3 most populous states. New South Wales reported 36, Victoria reported 22, and Queensland 16. Victoria declared an
emergency for hospitals in its state capital Melbourne and several regional hospitals from midday 19 January because of staff
shortages and surge in patient admissions. About 5 000 staff are absent because they are either infected or close contacts. 71
Hong Kong authorities said on 18 January that they would kill about 2 000 small animals, including hamsters, after several
tested positive for the coronavirus at a pet store where an employee was also infected. The city will also stop the sale of
hamsters and import of small animals.72
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson denied on 18 January an accusation by his former adviser that he had lied
to parliament about a lockdown party, saying nobody had warned him the “bring your own booze” gathering might contravene
COVID-19 rules.73
69
Nagarik
70
The Kathmandu Post
71
The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times)
72
The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times)
73
Agencies (in The Kathmandu Post)
WHE Communications Intelligence 16Contacts for further details Ms Tsering Dolkar Gurung NPO (Communication, Media, and Public Information) World Health Organization, Country Office for Nepal Gurungt@who.int WHO’s COVID-19 response in Nepal is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada. Reference Code: 22JAN20MM_115 WHE Communications Intelligence 17
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