293 Nepalis die of coronavirus around the world

August 17, 2020, 12:57:16 PM |

KATHMANDU: No death from the coronavirus among Nepalis living abroad has been reported in the last week.

According to the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), coronavirus infections have increased in India, Spain, Belgium, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries, but the rate of the infection is declining in other countries.

As per the record maintained by NRNA Health Committee, Nepalis in 38 countries around the world have been infected with the coronavirus.

So far, 293 Nepalis around the world, including in Nepal, have succumbed to the pandemic, NRNA said.

Nepalis in the UK, the UAE, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Ireland, Japan, Turkey, the Netherlands, Sweden, India, and South Africa among others have died of the coronavirus.

Coordinator of NRNA Health Committee Dr. Sanjeev Sapkota said that the coronavirus infection has been seen in 59,411 Nepalis around the globe, adding that 48,504 of them have recovered so far and over 50,000 rescued

At the initiative of the NRNA, Government of Nepal and diplomatic missions, 51,441 Nepalis have been rescued from 30 different countries through 327 chartered flights so far.

Meanwhile, NRNA said that the government’s decision to rescue up to 500 people on a daily basis has further delayed the rescue of stranded Nepali migrant workers.

Coordinator of NRNA Foreign Employment Committee Dr Badri KC said that thousands of Nepalis stranded abroad, mainly in Middle East countries, will be hit hard by the decision.

A recent meeting of the Council of Ministers had decided to rescue a maximum of 500 Nepalis stranded abroad through chartered flights on a daily basis.

As per the decision, 500 Nepalis would be brought to Nepal daily by air including 300 people on the recommendation of the diplomatic mission and 200 through the amount from the Foreign Employment Welfare Fund and they would be quarantined in Kathmandu Valley.

KC said that the government should reconsider the issue and urged the government to expedite the rescue operation.

246 dead bodies brought to Nepal

Similarly, 246 dead bodies from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, South Korea and other countries have been brought to Nepal and handed over to their families.

Out of 494 people who lost their lives abroad due to various reasons, the last rites of 172 have been performed in respective countries with the consent of their families.

A total of 76 dead bodies are yet to be brought to Nepal from abroad, NRNA said.