Kathmandu, April 30

The number of COVID patients under intensive care and those needing ventilator support has steadily risen in the past one week.

The number of deaths due to the respiratory contagion has gone up in the same period.

On April 23, 173 COVID patients were under intensive care. Today that number has gone up to 331.

Even the number of COVID patients needing ventilator support has seen more than 100 per cent hike in the past one week. On April 23, the number of COVID patients on ventilator support was 57. But it grew to 115 on April 30. The number of deaths from the disease has gone up almost seven times in the same period. On April 23, five deaths were reported due to the contagion. That number rose to 33 on April 30.

'When there is a spike in the number of COVID cases, the number of patients under intensive care and those needing ventilator support is bound to rise,' said Anup Bastola, chief consultant tropical medicine at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.

According to Bastola, the severity of the infection has also increased.

'More COVID patients are suffering from pneumonia,' said Bastola.

'We hope that prohibitory orders will help check the disease from spreading. But people will have to follow health safety guidelines,' said Bastola.

Not enough beds, says health ministry

The Ministry of Health and Population says it is next to impossible for hospitals to provide beds for coronavirus treatment to all those who need hospitalisation. It says the health system is unlikely to sustain the frightening rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country. It has urged people to follow health safety protocols to avoid falling sick. It has urged people to stay at home and avoid unnecessary travel and roaming around. - HNS