Three Nepalis died of COVID-19 abroad last week; 200,000 rescued so far

KATHMANDU, Jan 10: COVID-19 has recently claimed the lives of three Nepalis abroad. The Non-Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA) said that two Nepalis died in the UK and one in Malaysia last week.

The NRNA health committee said that with the recent fatalities, the death toll of Nepalis due to COVID-19  abroad has reached 317. They are from 20 countries. The health committee coordinator Sanjeev Sapkota said a total of 53,846 Nepalis were infected with coronavirus in 50 various countries till Saturday evening. Among them, 51,116 got recovered, which is 93 percent. 

Last week, Nepalis got infected in Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Africa, the UK, India and the UAE, the committee added.

The number of people losing their lives to COVID-19 in Nepal has reached 1,912 while the number of people infected with the virus reached 264,159. Out of which, 97.1 percent people got recovery, according to press coordinator of NRNA COVID-19 high level committee, Chiran Sharma. 

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In the wake of COVID-19, as many as 186,066 Nepalis have been rescued from various countries with the joint initiative of NRNA and Nepali diplomatic missions abroad. Vice-Chairman of NRNA and coordinator of foreign employment committee, Dr Badri KC said that NRNA was working actively to rescue and provide relief to the Nepalis facing troubles abroad.

The aids as legal counseling, consultation, PCR test, training, plane tickets, legal fine were managed to more than 9,650 Nepalis in the shelters of the foreign land, said the NRNA.

Currently, the NRNA volunteers are providing assistance to the Nepalis in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Cambodia and Kuwait. Even the financial assistance is collected from philanthropic agencies for the Nepalis who lost their jobs and got their visa term expired.

The NRNA has further provided health and safety materials worth Rs 1.4 million to the affected ones in seven provinces of Nepal.

NRNA’s health committee coordinator Sanjeev Sapkota has urged all to stay aware because there is still the chance of a second wave of COVID-19 although the infection rate has declined.