KATHMANDU: With the COVID-19 going pandemic across the world, it has not left South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states untouched, too. A total of 72 people have died of coronavirus in the SAARC region while 3,418 have been infected in the period of three weeks.
Those dead are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
40 die India
India has been the worst-hit in terms of the number of deaths in the SAARC region while Pakistan tops the list in terms of the number of infected people.
According to Indian media, the death toll from the coronavirus has climbed to 40 until Tuesday morning after eight died in the last 24 hours.
Similarly, 83 new cases were reported in a single day taking the total number of people infected with the novel virus to 1,334 while 140 have recovered after treatment, said Indian authorities.
After the deadly virus started taking the toll on the country, Indian authorities imposed a three-week lockdown on India on March 25.
21 dead, 1,700 infected in Pakistan
Pakistan has reported the highest number of deaths after India. A total of 21 people have died in Pakistan. Seven people died in Pakistan on Monday alone. With the additional 120 new cases, the total number of people infected with the virus has reached 1,717.
The condition of 11 among 1,620 undergoing treatment is critical.
Meanwhile, it has banned all the international flights after the number of infection cases started surging.
Number of cases increases in Bangladesh, too
Bangladesh comes third in terms of the countries affected by the coronavirus in the SAARC region.
It has reported five deaths as of Tuesday morning and 49 have been affected.
Nineteen people have recovered after treatment while the condition of one is said to be critical.
Similarly, four people have died in Afghanistan and 170 have been infected.
With 50 new cases, the total number of cases has reached 170 in Afghanistan.
Likewise, two people have died in Sri Lanka with 122 infected.
The number of deaths is likely to increase as the condition of five among those undergoing treatment is critical.
Likewise, 13 among 17 people infected with the novel virus have recovered after treatment. The condition of the reaming four is normal.
Five people have been infected in Nepal. Of them, one has returned home after recovery.
Bhutan is the least affected of all with four cases in the SAARC region.
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