Covid19: Nepal Response Situation Report No. XVII, as of 27 July, 2020
• The districts with COVID-19 positive cases has now decreased to 71 from 77, with 48 deaths. According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), age group of 91 per cent COVID-19 cases ranged from 11 to 50; 86 per cent cases are men (Daily Media Briefing, 27 July).
• Out of 7 Provinces, 5 Provinces (Provinces 1, 2, 5, Karnali and Sudurpaschim) are having transmission as clusters of cases and the remaining two Provinces (Bagmati and Gandaki) are classified as having sporadic transmission of COVID-19 (WHO Nepal, Situation Update #14, 22 July 2020).
• Most of the lockdown restrictions have been lifted on 22 July 2020 with few exceptions; places or institutions with potential for high intensity transmission (schools, colleges, seminars, trainings, workshops, cinema hall, party palace, dance bar, swimming pool, religious places, etc.) will remain closed till next directive; long route buses, domestic and international airport will resume from 17 August 2020.
• Following the increase in COVID-19 positive cases in the Eastern Nepal, the non-essential services have been shut in some part of Parsa, Saptari, Sunsari and Morang Districts.
• The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology held a discussion with the stakeholders on procedures to resume educational institutions across the country. The cabinet meeting on 21 July decided to allow the schools to open school administration and start enrolling the students, starting 17 August, 2020.
• Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has requested the Government of Nepal (GoN) to lift restrictions on domestic fights so that food and landslide victims can be rescued (AOAN Press Statement, 27 July 2020).
• The number of public vehicles on the roads of Kathmandu Valley has increased after the GoN lifted the nationwide lockdown, however, most of these vehicles have not been following the health and safety guidelines issued by the MoHP.
• According to the World Bank's latest Nepal Development Update, economic growth is estimated to contract sharply to 2.1 per cent in the current fiscal year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite efforts made by the GoN to curb the economic fallout from the crisis.
• While the GoN has prioritised the policies and programmes for migrant returnees, a recent study shows that 70 per cent of the respondents are completely unaware about these programmes. A vast majority (80 per cent) still lack finance restricting them from self-employment (The Rapid Assessment of Nepali Migrant Workers’ Situation in major destination countries during the COVID 19 Pandemic, Nepal Policy Institute (NPI) and Migration Lab (MLab), 625 migrants’ views largely based on phone surveys, in 8 primary destination countries (GCC countries, Malaysia and India).
• Small and medium scale enterprises have greatly suffered. For example, out of surveyed 33 interlocking bricks micro enterprises in 16 districts, 31 were found highly affected following the COVID-19 crisis. The major consequences faced by these enterprises are disruption in production of bricks, cash hold in market, interruption on supply chain, EMI overdue and raw materials damage among others (Field Assessment Report,
NCF funded NABIN project implemented by DCA led consortium with Practical Action and Build Up Nepal).