A day after Nepal recorded over 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in total, the country reported the highest one day spike of more than 5,000 infections on Saturday.
"The number of coronavirus cases confirmed in the last day stood at 5,008," Health Ministry spokesperson Jageshwor Gautam told a regular press briefing.
"With the addition of the new infections, total coronavirus cases in the country have reached 105,684," said Gautam.
It is the first time that the Asian country's daily caseload of the coronavirus pandemic reaches the 5,000 mark.
The last record of daily infections in the country was reported on Oct. 8 with 4,364 cases.
The active coronavirus cases have reached 30,818 in the country. Health officials said it would be very difficult to manage health facilities once the cases cross the 25,000 mark. Hospitals, particularly in Kathmandu Valley, have refused to admit serious patients.
"The situation is worsening, hospitals and isolation centers are almost fully occupied, discharge rate of coronavirus patients after recovery is going down and the number of infected people is growing," said Gautam.
Saturday also saw the highest daily death toll of 14 in the country.
Virus infections have soared in Nepal as people's movement increased after the country lifted the nearly four-month lockdown on July 22. Recently in particular, an increasing number of people were going out to do shopping to make preparations for the major festivals including Dashain, Tihar and Chhath to be celebrated from late October.
The Nepali government has expressed concern about the situation. Gautam urged people to stay indoors to celebrate festivals with only family members.
He said that according to the health protocols set up by the health ministry, "people need to avoid inviting relatives from another place ... In the case they are invited, it is necessary to maintain a distance of two meters."
The health protocols also prohibit the group gathering of more than 25 people at any religious site during the festivals. ■