March 24: Nepal has recently witnessed rapid rise in COVID-19 cases, the state-owned RSS reported on Friday. According to the national news agency, the country reported 17 infection cases in a single day on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health and Population said that the new cases were confirmed after 1,454 tests. On March 21 and 22, no infection case was reported while undertaking 909 and 1,387 tests respectively, added RSS. Active infection cases stood at 30 on Thursday, the news agency cited the ministry as saying.    

Nepal has seen impacts of neighbouring India that has reported increasing number of COVID-19 cases of late, Dr Chuman Lal Das, Director of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division told RSS. The infection is increasing in India.

“People who have tested positive for the virus in India are carrying the disease in Nepal. Seven infected people entered Nepal through the open border yesterday (Wednesday) alone,” said Dr Das, adding that tests have been intensified at the border.

He also urged people to follow the health protocols and receive a booster dose.    

Meanwhile, the ministry has also urged all people to receive a booster dose. It has also launched a booster dose campaign across the country in a bid to keep the infection in check.    

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that the Covid-19 pandemic could settle down this year to a point where it poses a threat similar to flu.

According to AFP, the WHO voiced confidence that it will be able to declare an end to the emergency some time in 2023, saying it was increasingly hopeful about the pandemic phase of the virus coming to a close. 

According to media reports, China, where the virus is reported to have originated, has already downgraded Covid-19 to B-grade virus and has eased restrictions from January 8. Japan, on the other hand is considering downgrading Covid-19 to the same level as seasonal influenza.

The virus, which was first detected in China’s Wuhan in December 2019, has infected more than 683 million people worldwide and has claimed 6.8 million lives. The effects of the virus has largely subsided  in recent months, especially in countries that have administered vaccine against the virus.