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The number of COVID-19 infected people has reached 251,692 after additional 776 new cases were detected positive in Nepal on December 17, 2020. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 240,363 of the total infected have recovered. On December 17, the rate of recovery reached 95.5% along with the 947 latest recovered. The ministry reported that 9,580 people are being treated. Out of which 5,883 are in home isolation, 281 are being treated in ICU, and 59 are being treated with the support of the ventilators. Till now, the death toll has reached 1,749. Out of them, 532 (30%) are females and 1,226 (70%) are males. According to the Ministry, 6,588 swab tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. There aren’t any active cases in Manang while Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Kaski, have more than 500 active cases.

In Karnali Province

According to Salyan representative Mina Budhathoki, the swabs of three people collected for the PCR test have been stuck in the hospital since December 13 due to lack of funds to take them to Surkhet. Rikharam Pun, Focal Person for COVID-19 at the Health Service Office, Salyan, said that there was a problem due to lack of funds for transportation. He said that even though an organization called Saksham Sankalp for Health System bears the transportation cost for sending swabs twice a month, the amount was not enough. He said, “It costs Rs 7,500 for a vehicle to reach Surkhet, but the organization only sends Rs 7,000.”. In some cases, swabs are sent in coordination with the local levels, but the government has asked them to collect swabs if they show signs of COVID-19.

Online Desk