KATHMANDU, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- With record high infection of over 2,000 cases in a single day, COVID-19 cases in Nepal surpassed 60,000 mark, Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population said.

"The coronavirus cases reached 61,593 on Friday with 2020 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours," Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson at the health ministry said at a regular press briefing on Friday.

It is for the first time that the daily infection rate crossed over 2,000. Last record high cases were reported on September 16 when the Himalayan country had confirmed 1,539 new cases.

This spike in cases has appeared in the wake of the reopening of the long-haul public transportation service, domestic flights and reopening of hotels and restaurants starting from September 17. The Nepali government has relaxed the provision of reopening the shops.

Although the COVID-19 cases were on decline after early July, the cases resurged after the Nepali government lifted the lockdown starting from July 22.

"The cases in thick settlements in major urban centres including in capital Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara in western Nepal and other thick settlements in the southern region of the country, are rising rapidly," said Gautam. "The situation is worsening day by day."

Amid rising cases, health ministry officials said that total cases could reach up to 90,000 in the worst case scenario.

Given this context, Gautam urged the people older than 60 years and people with existing health conditions such as those suffering from diabetes, cancer, kidney problem and respiratory problems not to go out of home for at least some days.

According to the health ministry, the death rate is also growing in Nepal in recent weeks due to penetration of the disease in communities where older people and people with existing conditions have become vulnerable.

As of Friday, the total death toll from the pandemic in Nepal has reached 390. On May 16, Nepal had reported the first death from the pandemic, a 29-year-old woman. Until July 21, total deaths from the pandemic were 40 but the number of deaths soared after the lockdown was lifted.

"This is due to the spread of coronavirus among all groups of people including young, elderly and people with existing conditions," Gautam told Xinhua in a recent interview. Enditem

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