Due to lack of human resources and critical lab materials, the Nepali National Public Health Laboratory can test only 500 individuals for coronavirus infection in a week.

The coronavirus test starts with ‘Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)’ technique, which detects small amounts of a virus’ genetic material. And, it takes 2 days to get the results.

The Nepali Government-owned lab also uses the same method but can only test limited patients as the method requires a lot of reagents, which are very expensive.

As the coronavirus has turned into a pandemic, the Nepali Government has to take necessary measures immediately.

“The lab capacity can be increased to 4,000 tests per week immediately with the adjustment of human resources and budgetary assurance from government,” said Dr Runa Jha, Nepal’s National Public Health Laboratory Director.

“We have already taken permission to procure crucial chemicals for 2,000 tests through a fast-track procurement process,” she added. “So, the Nepali Government should immediately simplify the procurement process as the existing public procurement is lengthy”.

As per Nepal’s 33^rd coronavirus situation report, a total of 447 individuals were tested for COVID-19 in the country so far. Only one individual, a 32-year-old student, was found to be positive for the disease. However, he has recovered already.

The tested individuals also include 175 Nepalese airlifted from Wuhan last month.

Nepal’ Response to Coronavirus Concerns

The Nepali Government has requested the Chinese Government to provide rapid test kits, which can detect the coronavirus within 2 or 3 hours. However, the kits are yet to be approved by the WHO.

The government has also planned to initiate 24-hours call service to help, support and advice the public regarding the coronavirus infection from March 13, 2020.

“The preparations will be completed by Thursday, and we will be able to operate the call center from Friday,” said Dr Basudev Pandey, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division Director.

Suspension of Visa-on-arrival and Entry-exit Control Measures

Coronavirus Cases Worldwide 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus a ‘global pandemic’ as the contagion has spread to at least 114 countries worldwide, infecting 126,369 and killing 4,636 people.

China, the epicenter of COVID-19 outbreak, has reported 80,796 infection cases and 3,169 deaths.

Nepal COVID-19 Stories:

• COVID-19 Impacts Nepal’s Inflation Rate
• Latest ‘Live’ Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nepal
• Nepal – A Coronavirus Free Zone: Minister Bhattarai
• Readiness is the key to detect, combat spread of the new ‘Coronavirus’
• WHO Declares Coronavirus as Global Emergency
• Coronavirus Alarms Nepali Tourism

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The grand award ceremony, hosted by TKS & SONS Singapore, saw awardees honored in various categories including Fashion Choreographer, Event Director, Dance Choreographer and Youth Entrepreneur.

Aswini Jha, Nishu Jha, Sabitri Khatri, and Alaiza Maharjan from Nepal were chosen for these prestigious awards.

International Gold Brand Award 2019 – Aswini and Nishu
Ashwini Jha is a fashion choreographer with a decade-old presence in the Nepali pageant industry, while Nishu is a well-established pageant director who presented various pageants under the Ribbon Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Lady of Excellence Award 2019 – Sabitri Khatri and Alaiza Maharjan
Sabitri is a dance choreographer with good hands-on experience in movie direction. Whereas, Alaiza Maharjan, winner of Mrs. Glam Nepal 2018, is a youth entrepreneur and a social activist.

All four awardees received the honor in Arts and Culture category.

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The decision was taken after China gave a go-ahead for the proposal that blacklists Azhar.

As per the UNSC designation, Azhar’s assets will be inactivated, his travel and any arms in his possession will also be banned.

“Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in the @UN Sanctions list. Grateful to all for their support,” tweeted Syed Akbaruddin India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

China gave its consent for the proposal submitted by France, UK, and US in the Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February 2019. It was submitted a few days after the Pakistan-based terror group carried out the deadly Pulwama terror attack killing 40 Indian CRPF jawans.

The proposal is the fourth attempt in the last 10 years at the UNSC to designate Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’. India made similar attempts in 2016 and 2017.

JeM was also allegedly the mastermind behind the Pathankot air base attack in India in January 2016.

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All four channels including Nepal Television, NTV Plus, NTV News and NTV Kohalpur have been converted to HD mode with effect from January 31, 2019.

Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli stated that the country has already moved ahead towards digital Nepal, e-governance and paperless technology while outlining Nepal’s progress in terms of digital transformation.

Prime Minister Oli inaugurating the HD version of four Nepali channels

Speaking further about Nepal’s digitization goals, the Prime Minister said that the agriculture, energy, education, health, industry, infrastructure and tourism sectors of Nepal will be modernized.

He also spoke about Nepal’s supercomputer, developed in collaboration with Switzerland that was a milestone achievement in Nepal’s journey to digital transformation.

“Nepal has been moving one-step ahead with modernization every day in every sector. We have been moving forward with the national goal—economic prosperity, good governance and prosperous Nepal on the basis of gained achievements. We all can move ahead in the race of modern Nepal,” said Oli.

The Prime Minister fondly recollected that Nepal Television was established at a time when he was in Pokhara jail during the Anti-Panchayat movement and said that an era of change and awareness has begun in Nepal on the occasion of NTV’s 34^th Anniversary.

Likewise, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota also talked about NTV’s role in Nepal.

He stated that Nepal Television has different duties compared to other television channels.

Baskota said that Nepal Television is a people’s television and not a government organization.

“There is no government interference on Nepal Television”, Baskota said while adding that the government has always been providing support to the Nepal television.

The Communication and Information Technology Minister stressed on the need of providing resources to NTV and establishing it as a well-equipped source to stay ahead of the competition.

He called on the NTV staff to be more professional and sharpen their expertise, rather than depending on a political party or any government minister.

Baskota also advised that NTV should adopt public service broadcasting (PSB) model in the next six months from now.

The legal framework for combining NTV and Radio Nepal into PSB is still pending.

Chairman of NTV Dr. Mahendra Bista informed that guidelines have been issued for making the television newsroom more independent, professional as well as people-centric.

Minister Baskota honored several advertisers, comedians, the logo designer of NTV Deepak Kumar Joshi and the longest-run TV show on NTV Bimba Pratibimba’s host connected with NTV, on its grand celebration.

Besides, nine local reporters and 28 staffers were awarded for completion of 28 years of service at NTV.

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Maryland’s Harry Bhandari, New Hampshire’s Madalasa Gurung and Virginia’s Pradeep Dhakal will be participating in the aforementioned elections this year.

Bhandari filed candidacy for the House of Delegates from the ‘Democratic Party’. His win at the inter-party elections with 5, 941 votes helped him emerge as candidate for the mid-term elections.

“We are in a good position. The November 6 election will reflect how the voters will accept our presence here,” said Bhandari during a public-engagement drive in his locality.

Totally, three candidates will be elected to the House of Delegates. Bhandari will be representing Maryland district for this election.

Madalasa Gurung will be representing the ‘Democratic Party’ in her district for election to the State Representatives.

However, the region from where Gurung is contesting is in favor of Republican governance with scarce presence of Democrats.

Dhakal is on a different league compared to Bhandari and Gurung, he filed candidacy for a position in the local unit rather than any political party.

“Dhakal’s win in the upcoming mid-term election will open the door for the Nepali Americans’ assimilation in the American politics,” said Dr Shyam Karki who is lobbying on behalf of Dhakal.

The election is being conducted for 435 seats in US House of Representatives, 33 seats in the Senate, 36 seats of Governor and Senate seats, among others.

In USA, House of Representatives & Senate work collaboratively to write and pass laws.

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