By Rup Narayan Dhakal : Nepal is restlessly facing the Covid- 19 pandemic as the country is hard-hit by the 2nd wave of this disease. As neighboring India has been seeing a high number of single-day death for few weeks, the Himalayan nation Nepal also could not escape from the flame of Covid- 19. Now, Nepal is struggling for an adequate number of hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, and proper ICUs for its Covid- 19 patients.
On May 6, Nepal tested 9,070 positive cases for coronavirus from a total of 21,112 tests, which is the highest single-day number in Nepal. At the same time, a total of 54 people lost their lives as they had tested positive for coronavirus on that day. The infected number of coronavirus patients reached 368,580 in Nepal so far. So, the situation is frightening here.
We have also another issue with media reporting regarding the death toll of coronavirus. The media have been focusing on the number of death during the reporting of coronavirus, instead of circulating the news positively. This reporting style also is creating havoc here in Nepal. So, doctors have suggested people and Covid patients not see social media and news reporting related to this disease. In this way, media terror is another problem to fight against corona in Nepal. It is not responsible journalism as media priorities concern only with the counting of dead bodies.
How could one confirm that the death occurred due to Covid -19 as the patient had been suffered from other numbers of diseases as s/he arrived at the hospital? So, the media can only write and report that the patient was infected with coronavirus instead of confirming the death by that virus. Cough, fever, low level of oxygen in the blood, headache, lacking tasting, and smelling power are some of the major symptoms of coronavirus infection. In most cases, pneumonia is the major cause of death in the contest of Covid patients. So, the media shouldn’t pinpoint the Covid- 19 as the principal cause of death.
In the early days of the Covid pandemic, people used to afraid of health workers and family members who have Covid patients in their homes and localities. This discrimination and insult are unfortunate in a helpful society like Nepal. Moreover, we had to see another unfortunate situation that people didn’t seem ready to give their areas to cremate the dead bodies of Covid patients.
There has imposed prohibitory orders in more than four dozens of districts out of total 77 districts since few days. It is not different than lockdown. Nepal had to face months-long lockdown in the past too. People’s daily lives, economy including tourisms and many businesses were severely hit by that lock-down. Now, the people have faced the same kind of difficulties in most of the parts of Nepal.
So, in this difficult time of the pandemic, let’s circulate the news of hope and positive messages. Also, encourage the patient. The use of a mask and sanitizer is the wise part to shun the coronavirus. The appliance of health and safety measures is another important factor. Similarly, creating harmony in society is also another important part to fight against the coronavirus. Let’s not play the blame game and cooperate with the government to stop the spreading of the virus.
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