History of Covid-19 outbreak
Covid-19 which is caused by a virus called corona was first noticed in Hubei province in China is now remained as global pandemic and destroying life everywhere. The first case happened in China and that is traced as early as Nov. 17, 2019. That actually is month earlier than doctor noticed cases in Wuhan, China. The first doctor who noticed this virus got criticized for making unnecessary rumors in social media at the beginning and he died out of the same virus doing treatment of the people suffering from the virus later they realized he has done the great job and he get honored after his death. Dr Li Weanling, 34, now considered the hero for raising the alarm for the corona virus at the beginning; he had his intention to save his colleagues so he was informing them to take protective measures. The virus they claim started from Huanan sea food market in Wuhan. As an ophthalmologist he discovered this virus treating glaucoma and considered similar to SARS, another epidemic outbreak of 2003. Few days later he started coughing, had fever and hospitalized. He stayed in hospital for three weeks and he died out of this pandemic. As the world now is communicated well and we have many travellers around the globe it has spread everywhere now and is a serious trouble for every country both medically and economically.
History of COVID-19 in Nepal and the measures going on right now
The first case in Nepal was reported in a student who returned from Wuhan who noticed severe cough and fever and admitted to Sukraraj tropical and infectious disease hospital back in January 1, 2020. He got treated and recovered and discharged for home quarantine. They reported second case in the passenger who flew with Quatar airlines and came to Kathmandu. Till now as of April 15, 2020 there are proven cases of 16 on this global pandemic and some suspicious cases but the fear triggering high as the returned visitor from UK who stayed in Sun City apartment in Kathmandu seems positive to COVID-19, two days ago. The border between Nepal and India is closed but still there are peoples trying to trespass which are a headache for local government to control this pandemic. Kathmandu, the country is already locked down for about three weeks and locked down order is extended up to April 30. All Nepalese follow the lock down order seriously and stayed home but specially the working class suffered much and lacks groceries and not able to have money started walking towards their homes. Local governments started to help these people but it has outreached to needy ones. People has exactly no idea up to when the lock down will continue so having fear of shortage of basic supply gathering whatever they get from groceries around. The government has not addressed anything for the people who lost their jobs and how to reopen the economy back. The hospitals has made isolation beds and prepared if the patients flood. If lot of people will be sick same time they will run out of capacity for sure.
The measures taken to avoid spread of the Pandemic
Self-isolation and home quarantine for people who returned from foreign countries in last few months
Rapid test for suspicious people and in the suspicious area,
Big hospitals are prepared at least with some ICU beds and ventilators,
Public are aware to wash their hands with soap water and use sanitizers frequently,
All local bodies are informed to collect the data for anybody who recently comes back from foreign countries,
Social distancing and contact tracing will be implemented rapidly.
There are rumors that people who already got vaccinated with BCG will suffer less from the Pandemic and till now BCG is a mandatory vaccine in Nepal so there might be less people suffering here in Nepal.
The oriental culture which includes washing hands before meals, doing laundry with hands, cleaning the utensils with hands all might help removing the virus from our body.
