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Nepal recorded 119 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 4, 084 swab samples were tested in the last 24 hours, of which 119 were tested positive. The Ministry said that 130 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 2, 191 active cases in the country.

With an aim to minimize the impact of natural disasters and to strengthen climate resilient infrastructure at the local level, a two-day long training on climate resilient and sustainable urban infrastructure started today in Kathmandu. A total of 30 officials including municipal engineers and chiefs of the Departments of Environment from 15 municipalities of seven provinces participated in the training organized by Town Development Fund (TDF), under the European Union (EU) supported Municipal Finance and Capacity Building (MFCB) Program. Speaking at the inaugural event, stakeholders have called to introduce development interventions that mitigate and adapt climate change impacts at the local level. Observing that the cities of Nepal today face multiple challenges in making climate resilient urban infrastructures, Er. Krishna Prasad Sapkota, Executive Director of the TDF said, "Urban investment must be climate resilient, for which a paradigm shift is needed in our thinking, planning and execution of programs from local to federal levels." Strategies and action plans of urban infrastructures should focus on climate resilient, inclusive and green growth to counter unexpected disasters resulting from the climate change, Sapkota added. Mim Hamal, Senior Program Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Nepal, said that climate change and climate finance issues are of great importance. Hoping that the training would be very useful for local governments to plan and execute climate change adaptation practices, Hamal added, "We should be mindful of the climate impact while investing in infrastructure development."   Saroj Nepal, National Program Coordinator at the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) stressed that the infrastructure asset management should be carried out being mindful of the climate change impacts. To this end, UNCDF has been supporting the initiatives targeted to urban investment and capacity building of municipalities, he added. Kapil Dev Gyawali, Program Coordinator at MFCB, said that the four-year long program that began in January 2019, has been providing technical assistance to enhance the capacity of municipalities and the TDF to nurture local economic development through blending financing. Surya Bahadur Karki, Chief of the Human Resources at the TDF, said that the two-day long training would enhance the capacities of municipal officials to design action plans for mitigating climate change impacts. The technical sessions that range from weather and climate, climate resilient infrastructure to disaster risk reduction and urban health, and resource efficiency are being facilitated by Climate Change Experts Dr. Ashok Kumar Pokharel and Dr. Ngamindra Dahal.

The number of dengue and scrub typhus patients has been rising in Baitadi district in recent periods. Scrub typhus has been diagnosed in 140 people and dengue in 13 persons since July 17 till September 13, the District Hospital Baitadi said. Hemanta Khadayat, the health assistant at the Hospital, said dengue and scrub typhus patients are also being found in other health facilities in the district. The Hospital has urged adopting precaution as it is possible that people who have not been examined can also carry scrub typhus and dengue infection. Hospital's information officer Harish Panta said that they have been detecting dengue and scrub typhus infection among the patients coming to the hospital on a daily basis of late. This shows that there is a risk of these diseases spreading. Meanwhile, the District Health Office has launched a public awareness and sanitation programme in view of the increasing number of dengue and scrub typhus cases in the district.    

The risk of dengue has increased in Sindhuli. Dr Sagar Devkota of the Sindhuli Hospital said that dengue cases have suddenly surged in the district in short time. According to him, three dengue infection cases are found among the people coming to the hospital for health checkup on a daily basis. He said dengue was detected in 97 persons coming to the hospital seeking medical treatment since mid-August. "The largest number of cases is from Kamalamai Municipality. Dengue is found in 74 persons in the municipality," Dr Devkota said, adding that seven cases have been found in Dudhauli Municipality five in Golanjor Rural Municipality, four cases in Tinpatan Rural Municipality and three cases each in Marin and Ghyanglekh rural municipalities of the district. Among them, 12 are being treated in hospital while the rest are receiving treatment at their homes as per doctor's advice.  Dr Devkota said that 10 dengue patients have been referred to other hospitals due to shortage of blood platelets. This data is of the period from July 17 to September 13. Dr Devkota said that dengue is spreading rapidly in Sindhuli district and there is no exact data on the number of patients since many cases go unreported. Meanwhile, the Kamalamai Municipality has launched a 'search and destroy' campaign for destroying the mosquito larvae in a bid to prevent dengue from spreading. It has also implemented an orientation programme through the Municipality Health Division for prevention and control of dengue, said the mayor Upendra Kumar Pokhrel.