Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal - ReliefWeb

Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal

Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring Nepal1
                                                                             -Sharpening the COVID-19 Response through Communications Intelligence

Date: September 29, 2021
Kathmandu, Nepal

                                                          EMERGING THEME(S)

     •   Nepal reported 904 new COVID-19 cases, 12 deaths on September 28; 2,000 children in Dang suffering from seasonal
         infection in last one month
     •   Nepal starts gene sequencing test in 2 state-run laboratories — Tribhuvan University Central Department of
         Biotechnology and National Public Health Laboratory; Delta variant of COVID-19 confirmed in 41 of 42 samples in the
         gene sequencing test done in the two labs
     •   With 28 per cent, Nepal is 4th in SAARC countries for fully vaccinating people against COVID-19; government on target
         to accomplish its goal of vaccinating 33 per cent of targeted groups by October 17, says Chief of Department of Health
         Services; Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts to vaccinate everyone eligible over 18 years of age against COVID-19
     •   Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has directed agencies concerned to increase Antigen tests at border points
         to lessen the spread of coronavirus infection as Nepalis based in foreign countries start making their way home for
         Dashain

 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                                                                                                                 2

ISSUE(S) IN FOCUS

Nepal's coronavirus caseload reached 793,271 on September 28 with 904 more people testing positive for the infection in the
past 24 hours, while the countrywide COVID-19 mortality toll increased to 11,115 with 12 more fatalities. The country's active
COVID-19 case count currently is 18,422 as against 18,848 a day before, while the COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 96.3 per
cent, and the fatality rate at 1.4 per cent.2
Seasonal infection has been seen in 2,000 children below the age of five in Dang in a period of one month. High fever,
breathing difficulties, and cough are the major symptoms shown by these children.3

Gene sequencing, which is done to identify the new variant of COVID-19, has started in government laboratories — Tribhuvan
University Central Department of Biotechnology, and National Public Health Laboratory. 4
The Delta variant of the coronavirus has been found in a gene sequencing done in Nepal. In the gene sequencing of 42
samples, the Delta variant was confirmed in 41 samples in the tests done at the Nepal Public Health Laboratory and Tribhuvan
University Central Department of Biotechnology.5

Nepal is in the fourth position in the SAARC region in terms of fully vaccinating people against the COVID-19, which is 28 per
cent. Bhutan is in first position, which fully vaccinated 65.6 per cent of its population, followed by the Maldives, which
vaccinated 61.48 per cent, while Sri Lanka is in third position with 52.61 per cent fully vaccinated population.6

The targeted groups will get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as per the government’s goal — one-third of the targeted
groups by October 17. Accordingly, 30 per cent of the targeted population has been given the first dose, while 28 per cent has

2
  THT Online
3
  Annapurna Post
4
  Onlinekhabar
5
  Ratopati
6
  Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times)

WHE Communications Intelligence                                                                                              3

received the full dose. Sagar Dahal, Chief of the Department of Health Services, Family Welfare Division, Child Health and
Immunization Section, said, “We had said we would vaccinate 33 per cent of the targeted groups by October 17. We have
been conducting the vaccination program on a daily basis accordingly. We will vaccinate 33 per cent of the targeted groups
by October 17.” 7

Although the government had decided to vaccinate all eligible people above 40 years of age in many districts, health
authorities in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts have started administering COVID-19 vaccines to everyone above 18. “We have
started vaccinating all people above 18 years residing in the district,” Badri Bahadur Khadka, Chief of the Health Office
Kathmandu, said. “All people above 18 years can take the AstraZeneca vaccine from immunization centers of the Kathmandu
Metropolitan City and those in the municipalities of the district can take the Vero Cell vaccine.” Officials at the Health office
Lalitpur said they also have been providing the jabs to everyone above 18. But health officials from Bhaktapur said only those
above 40 are being vaccinated in the district.8

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has directed all agencies concerned to increase Antigen tests at border points
and carry out the test in the maximum number of people possible. The directive comes just as Nepalis based in foreign
countries have started to return home to celebrate the Dashain festival with their families. “Antigen test is among several
measures health authorities can take to lessen the spread of the coronavirus infection,” said Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, Joint
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population. “With thousands of migrants expected to return home for the festival,
the risk of infections increases.” Health experts say as the risk of COVID-19 has not lessened, the surveillance system at
border crossings should be made active.9

The crowd of Nepalis returning home for Dashain from India has increased in the major border checkposts — from Jhapa in
the east to Kanchanpur in the Sudurpaschim. However, there has been no effective COVID-19 testing of these returnees. This
has increased the risk of the infection spreading in the villages.10

7
  Rastriya Samachar Samiti (in The Himalayan Times)
8
  The Kathmandu Post
9
  The Kathmandu Post
10
   Nayapatrika

WHE Communications Intelligence                                                                                               4

The Cabinet meeting recently decided to reopen checkposts sharing the border with India. However, those in Province 1 and 2
have not reopened yet — while the pedestrians are allowed to walk across the border, vehicles are not allowed to pass.
However, the crowds are seen at these checkpoints though the administrations have not reopened them formally.11

The government had decided to make holding centers at the Nepal-India border checkposts at the time COVID-19 infection
had reached its peak in the country. However, none of the holding centers are ready yet. The Nepal Army aims to complete the
construction of the centers by December 15 — originally, they had to be ready by August 21.12

                                                       OTHER(S)

                                                    National News

The foreign ministers of Nepal and India have agreed to work together in the fight against coronavirus and tackle the
challenges posed by the COVID-19 virus on the lives and livelihoods of people of both countries. During a one-on-one meeting
on the sidelines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Nepali Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Khadka
and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar agreed to work in tandem in the fight against the pandemic. 13

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO) to the case of some of the
WHO-approved vaccines against COVID-19 not being accepted/recognized by some countries. During a meeting between Dr
Dhananjaya Regmi, CEO of the NTB, and Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO Nepal Representative, Dr Regmi said such a
behavior of some nations has affected international travel.14

11
   Nagarik
12
   Baahrakhari
13
   The Himalayan Times
14
   Baarhakhari

WHE Communications Intelligence                                                                                           5

The schools of Changu Narayan and Bhaktapur municipalities in Bhaktapur district have resumed physical classes.
However, the Madhyapur Thimi and Suryabinayak municipalities of the district have decided to allow the reopening of schools
after Dashain-Tihar.15

The Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) has said it has made masks and sanitizer mandatory during its
statue general convention set for October 1-3. More than 5,000 representatives are gathering in Kathmandu to take part
in the convention.16

The Chinese Red Cross Society has given 100,000 doses of Vero Cell vaccine to the Nepal Red Cross Society. 17

                                                     International News

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on September 27 finally meet members of the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for
Justice campaigning group, who for more than a year have sharply criticized his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The
group said families will tell the stories of how their loved ones caught the virus and reiterate their calls for a statutory inquiry
into the pandemic to start soon.18

15
   Onlinekhabar
16
   Ratopati
17
   Ratopati
18
   The Associated Press (in The Himalayan Times)

WHE Communications Intelligence                                                                                                        6

Contacts 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 Azerbaijan, the Government of Canada,
UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO),
Government of Germany, and USAID.

Reference Code: 21SEPT29MM_039

WHE Communications Intelligence                                                         7