COVID-19-Pandemic in Nepal – Update June 07, 2020

Corona numbers are rising! The lockdown has been extended!

The cases of corona infections, hunger, but also suicides are currently rising dramatically in Nepal! Thanks to your help we were able to provide almost 4000 people with food for one month! Food packages for 2600 Nepali Rupees (20 Euro / 21 CHF) feed a family of five for one month!

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Nepal until June 7, 2020 is 3235 and 13 people have already died from this virus (source: Johns Hopkins University). Almost every day more than 200-300 more cases are discovered. But it is still true: In countries with an inadequate health care system, such as Nepal, the number of tests is insufficient. The exact number of infected, diseased and COVID-19 deaths is therefore unclear. We are therefore assuming a very large number of unreported cases and a large spread.

Since the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise unabated, the Ministry of Health has recommended that the Cabinet declare a national public health emergency. The Nepalese government has therefore decided to extend the current nationwide lockdown until 14 June to prevent or at least slow down the spread of the virus. Economically marginalised people are severely affected by this extended lockdown. Many people have lost their jobs. But many people are now more afraid of starvation than of the corona virus. It can be assumed that the situation will deteriorate if people cannot resume work and work soon. Cases of mental disorders, even suicides, hunger and poverty have increased dramatically.

During curfew, field workers, day labourers, street vendors have a hard time surviving at all. No work is synonymous with no income.

Some have been lucky enough to receive aid material provided by the government and some public and private organizations. But it is not enough. Ccurrently, 500,000 Nepalese migrant workers from India are on their way into the country. There are even more infections there – the risk of bringing in more cases of disease is increasing. And the government has no chance to provide the returnees, who try to walk hundreds of kilometres to reach their home villages, with water, food or a place to sleep.

Until today Chay Ya has provided 783 families (about 3915 people) in 7 different places with food for one month. Chay Ya now focuses its help on people with disabilities, pregnant women, single mothers, families with many children and old & sick people.

One package for 20 Euro / 21 CHF contains the following food: 25 kg of rice, 2 kg of lentils, 1 litre vegetable oil, 1 kg salt and 2-hand washing soaps.

By that date EUR 13,651 have been spent on our COVID-19 food aid packages.

THANKS to all of you – let’s not abandon our friends in Nepal – together for Nepal!

Thanks to all sponsors – Karin Gasser from Chay Ya Switzerland,  Alice Hölder from Dautari e.V., Saebin Didi and Temba Gyalbo Tamang from Sunaulo Sansar NGO, and Jacqueline Carnevali and Giuseppe Carnevali from Carnevali Foundation, all private donors and above all a huge RESPECT to our team of Chay Ya Nepal (Kamal Thapa, Ravi Raj Timasina, Sristi Silwal, Tomace Jonez, Keith Mifsud, Sangita Basnet, Dhurba Basnet)!