Though the number of coronavirus infections and deaths are comparatively meager in Nepal, owing to its low population, the COVID-19 test positivity rate and transmission rate seem to be significantly very high than that of India.

During a virtual COVID-19 briefing of the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr. Biraj Karmacharya, Director of Department of Public Health and Community Program at Dhulikhel Hospital, informed that Nepal’s COVID-19 test positivity rate and transmission rate are almost double than that of India.

According to government statistics, Nepal’s COVID-19 test positivity rate is 41.9%, whereas the rate is 22.2% in India. Likewise, the coronavirus transmission rate of Nepal stands at 1.8%, while it is 1.2% in India.

However, the COVID-19 death rate in Nepal is significantly low than that of India. The COVID-19 fatality rate in every 1 million population is 1.6% in Nepal, while it is 2.8% in India.

As Nepal continues to report over 8,000 new cases daily, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health groups warned of a horrifying humanitarian crisis in the country.

In its latest weekly snapshot of the pandemic, the WHO reported that Nepal’s infection cases rose by a staggering 137% in a week.

Likewise, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cross Societies (IFRC) said, “Nepal is recording 57 times more cases than this time last month,” adding that the country’s test positivity rate was 44% last weekend.

“What is happening in India right now is a horrifying preview of Nepal’s future if we cannot contain this latest COVID surge that is claiming more lives by the minute,” said IFRC’s Nepal Chairperson Dr. Netra Prasad Timsina.

According to the MoHP, Nepal has reported 8,777 new infection cases and 88 new deaths in the last 24 hours. With this, the nation’s coronavirus infection tally reached 394,667, while the death toll reached 3,720. Currently, there are 88,160 active cases and 302,787 recovery cases in the country.

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Recent floods have devastated millions of lives across South Asia. Nepal, in specific, suffered a severe damage to its public, livestock, agriculture, industry, among others.

In this regard, the Nepal Government is already undertaking necessary relief measures and international bodies are gearing up for extending their support to the flood victims.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) also issued a press release on August 22, 2017, wherein, it informed about its plan to raise funds globally for supporting flood victims.

IFRC Pitches for Global Support

“IFRC and Nepal Red Cross (NRC) are launching a global appeal for about 3.5 million Swiss francs to support 81,000 people living in the most-seriously affected parts of the country. IFRC has provided a start-up loan of 500,000 Swiss francs to ensure that resources are immediately available,” said IFRC in its official release.

Describing the victims’ situation, Jagan Chapagain, Under Secretary General for Programmes and Operations, IFRC said, “This is the worst flooding that parts of South Asia have seen in decades. Entire communities have been cut off. The only way to get aid to some of these villages is by boat and many are running out of food.”

Jagan raised concerns over disease threat among victims. Stating that floodwaters have become a breeding ground for deadly diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria, he also raised suspicion over spread of other diseases like dengue and Japanese encephalitis.

“We are delivering aid, food, water and other vital supplies but this disaster is one of the biggest we have ever faced. We are appealing for global support,” said Mozharul Huq, Secretary General, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.

The Government of Nepal has also sought international support for relief measures to flood victims.

UK Allocates GBP 400,000 Fund

In a recent move, the Government of United Kingdom (UK) has come forward to extend its support to flood victims.

As a monsoon flood response, the Department for International Development (DFID), UK announced GBP 400,000 fund allocation to the Nepal Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the British Red Cross and International Federation of the Red Cross.

Through this fund, UK aims at ensuring water supply to 13,000 people, food and financial support to 3,000 victims, health-related support to women and child victims.

EU Donates Rs 24 Million Relief Fund

The European Commission has come forward to provide Rs 24.2 million (EUR 200 000) in humanitarian aid funding to the victims affected by floods and landslides across the country. This aid is expected to benefit around 35,000 Nepalese hit by the disaster.

This move by the European Union (EU) is coming after a IFRC’s call for global attention to support flood victims. Through this fund, EU intends to support IFRC and NRC in delivering much-needed assistance to the affected families, said a statement issued by EU on August 22, 2017.

According to the release, hygiene promotion activities are also planned in targeted districts to tackle with water-borne diseases caused by floodwaters.

Japan Provides Rs 23.4 Million Worth Relief Material

The Government of Japan has also provided relief material worth Rs 23.4 million to the Government of Nepal in support of flood victims in the southern plains of Nepal.

“The Japanese Government and Japanese citizens have not forgotten the friendship and compassion given to Japan during the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 and in the Kumamoto Earthquake in April last year by the Government and people of Nepal,” said Masashi Ogawa.

South Korea Announces Financial Aid

In a recent update, the Government of Republic of Korea (ROK) has agreed to Nepal Government’s request to support flood victims.

In this regard, the Government of ROK announced USD 200,000 as humanitarian assistance to Nepal, to the damages caused by floods and landslides across the country.

An official statement in this regard was issued by the Embassy of ROK in Kathmandu, which informed that the Government of ROK’s assistance is expected to contribute to the emergency relief efforts in the affected areas.

NRNA Donates a Million Rupees

The Non-Resident Nepal Association (NRNA) of Thailand has also extended a financial assistance of Rs 1 million to the flood victims of Saptari District on the south-eastern plain in Tarai.

“The amount has been transferred to NRNA Flood Relief Fund,” said NRNA in a statement, informing that the donation amount was handed over to the NRNA International Coordination Council Member Khagendra Raj Dhakal.

NRNA Thailand Treasurer Kanchha Gurung informed that Rs 730,079 would be transferred to the NRNA Relief Fund for relief package distribution and Rs 230,079 to the NRNA Women Welfare Fund to distribute hygiene kits to women victims in Saptari District.

Death Toll Reaches 1200 in South Asia

As of August 25, 2017, the total death toll (due to floods) in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, altogether, increased to 1200 with more than 850 people killed in six Indian states, around 150 people in Nepal and around 134 people in Bangladesh.

Apart from this, more than 90,000 houses in Nepal were badly hit and crops in 10,583 hectares of land have been washed away in Bangladesh with an additional 600,587 hectares partially damaged.

IFRC had earlier released a report, wherein, it said the number of flood-affected people in these three countries crossed 24 million with an estimate of more than 700 death casualties.

According to IFR, over 1,800 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are working alongside local authorities to prevent further deaths and help communities withstand and recover from the floods.

Various international and local aid agencies and rescue teams are already undertaking continuous relief measures across the region to save millions of others hit by the disaster.

“People across the region urgently need our help. But their needs are now so immense they will not be met without international support,” says Jagan Chapagain.

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Recent floods affected more than 16 million population in South Asia and above 500 people together in Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), these floods are turning out to be one of the worst humanitarian crises in years.

“This is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises this region has seen in many years, and urgent action is needed to meet the growing needs of millions of people affected by these devastating floods. Millions of people across Nepal, Bangladesh and India face severe food shortages and disease caused by polluted flood waters,” said Martin Faller, IFRC Deputy Regional Director.

Martin further informed that one-third of Bangladesh and Nepal were inundated in floods and more than 11 million population were affected across northern parts of India.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General Dev Ratna Dhakhwa opined that the flood situation would likely result in food security challenges. “We fear that this destruction will lead to severe food shortages,” said Ratna Dhakhwa.

Relief Distribution Paces up in Mid-Western Nepal

Relief measures are fastly reaching flood victims of the four worst-hit districts of the mid-western Nepal. Undertaken by the District Natural Disaster Relief Committee, the government authorities are distributing cash, grams, rice grains, clothes and tents, among others to the victims affected by floods and landslides.

Various cluster groups formed under the DNDRC for overseeing education, health and sanitation, rehabilitation and relief distribution programmes have been sent to the villages struck by floods, informed Banke Chief District Officer (CDO) Ramesh Kumar KC.

Disease Break-out in Flood-hit Regions

Public across various flood-hit regions are suffering from severe health issues. The number of patients in the district hospital and other health centers of the district has increased.

Some have reportedly died of snake bite, diarrhea, common cold, among other problems.

According to Chuman Lal Das, Chief of District Public Health Office, patients suffering from diarrhea and common cold, among other diseases, increased in the flood-affected areas of the Siraha District. Health workers could treat patients as there was no dearth of medicines in the health facilities, Das informed.

On the other hand, hundreds of flood victims in Saptari are still waiting for relief packages. According to the locals, rice being distributed through helicopters is running out of stock and they were asked to borrow from their neighbors.

“We are compelled to live in hunger and our children have not eaten properly after the disaster, state presence is negligence,” said a local Bhutiya Devi Ram.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Development (MoAD) Secretary Suroj Pokhrel today informed that the Ministry is currently developing an immediate relief package to the flood-hit farmers of Tarai, which will be announced on August 23, 2017.

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