China's Wuhan city discharges last COVID-19 patient from hospital
Beijing: The last COVID-19 patient in Wuhan has been discharged and the hospitals in the epicentre of the global coronavirus pandemic in the central Chinese city have no coronavirus cases for the first time after more than three months of arduous battle against the deadly virus that infected over 80,000 people on the mainland, health officials said.
China's National Health Commission (NHC) announced on Monday that three new confirmed coronavirus cases, including two from the Chinese returning from abroad and one local transmission were reported on Sunday.
The overall death toll stood at 4,633 and no new fatalities were reported on Sunday. The overall confirmed cases in China reached 82,830 by Sunday, including 723 patients still being treated and 77,474 people who had been discharged.
Altogether 80 patients were discharged from the hospitals after recovery on Sunday, while the number of severe cases increased by one to 52, the NHC said.
Meanwhile, after more than three months of fight against the deadly virus, Wuhan where coronavirus first emerged in December last and became a pandemic, cleared all COVID-19 cases in hospitals on Sunday.
The outcome was earned through the hard work of medical workers in Wuhan and those sent from across the country, Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the NHC, was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
This came as a 77-year-old man surnamed Ding tested negative for the second time for coronavirus in the capital city of Hubei Province, the report said.
He no longer had clinical symptoms and was able to be discharged, an official with Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. Sunday's announcement was a new testament that the local spread of COVID-19 in the country has basically been curbed, it said.
It was also a milestone for Wuhan. This came five days after its cases dropped to double digits and less than 70 days after daily hospitalised cases peaked at 38,020, Xinhua reported.
"It is a historic day," said Shang You, a critical care unit doctor in Wuhan. "We have been waiting for this day for so long." As of Sunday, 627 Chinese who has returned from abroad were being treated with 22 in severe condition, the NHC said.
Also on Sunday, 25 new asymptomatic cases, including one from abroad, were reported on the mainland. The NHC said 974 suspected asymptomatic cases, including 131 from abroad, were still under medical observation.
Asymptomatic cases refer to people who tested positive for the coronavirus but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. They are infectious and pose a risk of spreading to others.
The novel coronavirus is believed to have originated in a wet market in Wuhan and first emerged in December before spreading quickly worldwide.
Beginning January 23, Wuhan was put under a lockdown that lasted 76 days.
In Wuhan, scores of hospitals were designated to treat COVID-19 patients and 16 temporary hospitals were set up, opening up 60,000 hospital beds to meet the surging demand.
Over 42,000 medical workers were sent to Hubei from across the country, as well as key medical supplies such as ventilators, protective suits, masks and daily necessities.
Since February 18, the cases in Wuhan have been on the decline.
As of the end of Saturday, Wuhan had reported a total of 50,333 confirmed cases and 3,869 deaths. The recovery rate has topped 92 per cent.
In Hubei, no new confirmed cases have been reported for over 20 days, and the number of remaining cases dropped below 50, the report said.
Life is returning to normal. Hubei's work resumption rate of major industrial firms has reached 98.2 percent and most of their workers have got back to work.
Schools will soon open. Students in the final year of senior high schools in Hubei are expected to return to classes on May 6, it said. Officials said for the next step Wuhan must keep guarding against imported cases while preventing a resurgence of the outbreak.
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Nepal records 18% turnout till noon in first election since govt-toppling Gen Z protests
Kathmandu (PTI): Nepal which went to polls on Thursday, the first since a violent Gen Z protest that toppled the K P Sharma Oli-led government last year, recorded a turnout of about 18 per cent till noon, according to the Election Commission.
The Election Commission said that around 3.16 million people have exercised their franchise till 12 pm, with the voting process going smoothly.
Voting is ongoing smoothly across the country with minor incidents in a very few places, Election Commissioner Sagun Shumsher Rana was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.
More than 18.9 million eligible Nepalese are exercising their franchise to elect the 275-member House of Representatives from among the 3,406 candidates vying for 165 seats under direct voting, and 3,135 candidates vying for 110 seats through proportionate voting.
The voting started at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. The counting will start immediately after the ballot boxes are collected.
Nepal Police confirmed that apart from minor disagreements at a few locations, no serious problems had occurred.
Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said, “Some jostling is expected during elections, but no major issues have arisen. We are ensuring that the voting process remains peaceful throughout the day.”
"Voting started in all the constituencies, including the southern plains, hilly area and the mountain region at 7 am," Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said.
“The election started in a peaceful environment across the country,” he added.
ALSO READ: Nepal records over 10% turnout till 11 am in first election since govt-toppling Gen Z protests
Addressing a press meet here on the eve of the polls, Acting Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari on Wednesday had said that all preparations for the election had been completed and urged voters to participate actively and enthusiastically in the democratic exercise.
In Kathmandu, the weather was fine, sky was clear and people were enthusiastically queuing up to cast their votes.
Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki cast her vote from Kathmandu-5 constituency at Dhapasi on the outskirts of Kathmandu on Thursday morning.
"I have cast my vote, I am happy that people are casting their votes, participating in the general election," she said.
Nepali Congress president Gagan Thapa cast his vote from Kathmandu-4 constituency in Maitidevi in the morning.
"This election was needed to bring the Constitution back on the right track," he said.
Thapa, the prime ministerial candidate of Nepali Congress, is contesting the election from Dhanusha-4 constituency.
Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP) president Ravi Lamichhane cast his vote from Chuchepati area on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
Prime ministerial candidate of RSP and former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ cast his vote from Gairegaun, Kathmandu. He is contesting the election from Jhapa-5.
Ousted premier Oli cast his vote from Balkot in Bhaktapur district.
The Gen Z youth, through their two-day intensified protests on September 8 and 9, ousted Prime Minister Oli, chair of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) -- CPN-UML -- who was heading a coalition government with the backing of Nepali Congress that enjoyed nearly two-thirds majority support.
The CPN-UML, led by ousted PM Oli, has emerged as the hardliner force. Though former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'-led NCP claims to have addressed the issues raised by the Gen Z, they have not handed over the party leadership to the younger generation.
Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP), led by its chair Ravi Lamichhane and senior leader Balendra Shah, and the reformed Nepali Congress, led by Gagan Thapa, are voicing the issues raised by the Gen Z, while CPN-UML and Nepali Communist Party, led by ‘Prachanda’, are known as the traditional forces.
Ujyalo Nepal Party, led by Kulman Ghising, and Shram Shakti Party, led by former Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang, are also emerging forces but enjoy support in limited pockets only.
After Oli's ouster, President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved the House of Representatives on September 12 and appointed Sushila Karki as the caretaker PM.
The major issues raised by Gen Z are anti-corruption, good governance, an end to nepotism, generational change in political leadership, etc.
Starting Wednesday, Nepal has declared a three-day holiday for the polls.
There are a total of 10,967 polling booths and 23,112 polling centres, the Election Commission data showed. As many as 65 political parties are taking part in the election.
