KATHMANDU, Aug 28: Seventy-one media persons tested positive for coronavirus across the country as of Friday, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) said.
According to a press statement issued by the FNJ, the umbrella organization of Nepali media persons, journalists working in six out of seven provinces have been diagnosed with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
At least 13 media persons tested positive for coronavirus in the Province 1. Twelve media persons in Morang district and one journalist in Udayapur were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Twenty-seven media persons were diagnosed with coronavirus in Province 2. Of them, 12 are from Parsa, 4 from Dhanusha, three from Saptari, two from Sarlahi and one each from Mahottari and Rautahat.
Thirty-five persons including a two-month old girl test positiv...
Eleven media persons in Bagmati Province were diagnosed with coronavirus. Of them, nine are from Kathmandu and two are from Lalitpur. Likewise, eight media persons tested positive for coronavirus in Gandaki Province. Of them, one journalist is from Kaski and seven journalists are from Nawalpur.
Eleven journalists were diagnosed with coronavirus in Province 5. Of them two are from Banke, one from Bardiya, six from Kapilvastu and two are from Rupandehi. One journalist from Dailekh of Karnali Province has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
According to FNJ, some COVID-19 infected journalists have already been discharged after full recovery while some are receiving treatment in isolation centers.
"Nepali journalists are among the frontline workers who have been discharging their duties despite the risks of the novel coronavirus. Especially, field reporters, photo journalists and camera persons are in highly vulnerable condition. Therefore, the FNJ demands the government to conduct PCR tests of those journalists, who are in field reporting despite the risks of COVID-19, free of cost, and arrange medical treatment to all COVID-19 infected journalists who are currently undergoing treatment," read the FNJ statement.
The FNJ has also urged media persons to take required precautionary measures while discharging their professional duties.
