KATHMANDU, Sept 18: A total of 4.4 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine purchased by the government from China arrived in Kathmandu on Friday. According to the Supply Division of the Department of Health Services (DoHS), 4.4 million of the total 6 million doses of vaccines purchased from China arrived in Kathmandu on Friday.
According to Upendra Dhungana, Chief of Logistics Management, the vaccines against COVID-19 were sent to Hetauda of Bagmati province, Lumbini province and Kaski of Gandaki province on Friday itself. Preparations are underway to send the vaccines to the rest of the provinces by Sunday.
An additional 100,000 doses of vaccine provided by the Chinese Red Cross for the Nepal Red Cross is expected to arrive in Kathmandu in a few days, according to the DoHS. A total of 17.7 million doses of vaccine have been brought in Nepal including an additional 4.4 million so far.
“With the arrival of vaccines, the vaccination campaign will be conducted from September 20 to 30,” Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, Director of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, a wing of the Department of Health Services said. The department has stated that it will start vaccination campaigns in all but three Himalayan districts. The entire population has been vaccinated in Manang, Mustang and Rukum East districts.
Nepal receives 1.2 million doses of Vero Cell under COVAX
Second dose of Vero Cell to be administered in Kathmandu
The Kathmandu District Public Health Office is conducting a three-day campaign from September 20 to 22 to administer the second dose of the vaccines to those who have already received the first dose of Vero Cell vaccine. People need to fill an electronic form before visiting the vaccination center to get the vaccine.
Vaccination will be provided from Nepal Police Hospital, Armed Police Hospital, Bir Hospital, Tribhuwan Teaching Hospital, Civil Service Hospital, Maternity Hospital and Birendra Sainik Hospital. Apart from these, new vaccination centers have been identified in ward no. 17 and 15 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, ward no. 10 of Kirtipur Municipality, Chandragiri Municipality, Nagarjuna Municipality, Tarkeshwor Municipality, Dakshinkali Municipality, Budhanilkantha Municipality, Tokha Municipality, Gokarneshwar, Shankarapur and Kageshwori Manohara Municipality.
According to Badri Bahadur Khadka, head of Public Health at the District Public Health Office, Kathmandu, the vaccination campaign will cover Nepali nationals going abroad, employees working in emergency services designated by the government, citizens who have been vaccinated with the first dose of Vero Cell and public transport drivers and their assistants. There will be separate queues for men and women in the vaccination centers.
Corona infection rate reaches 12.5 percent
In the last 24 hours, the COVID-19 infection rate in Nepal has reached 12 percent. Of the 12,385 samples tested during this period, the COVID-19 infection was confirmed among 1,558 people. According to Friday's data, the transmission rate, which declined for a week, has risen by double digits.
Similarly, the total number of infected people in Nepal has reached 871,143. In Kathmandu Valley, 397 new infections have been added. Similarly, 10 more people have died due to corona infection in Nepal in the last 24 hours. With this statistic, the number of deaths from coronavirus in Nepal has reached 11,012.
