450 India returnees quarantined in Banke

Siraj Khan, Gobinda Sharma, Nepalgunj, May 14: Although preventive measures to lessen the spread of COVID-19 are being adopted by the government, unauthorised entry are continuing at the borders, thereby increasing the risk of the novel coronavirus in Banke, Nepalgunj.

Hundreds of Nepali workers are sent from India by railways to Nepal-India border area, due to which flow of Nepali migrant workers making a stealthy entry has spiked in boarder areas.

447 people of Narauna Rural Municipality, who entered Nepal through eastern checkpoint, have been quarantined in eight different places, informed Istiyak Ahmed Sah, Ward Chair of Narauna Ruram Municipality.

Out of them 373 entered Nepal this Tuesday and other 47 had arrived earlier this week, he added.

With the increasing number of Nepali migrant workers heading home from India, search for stranded Nepali workers is being conducted in various parts of India, said Sah.

All workers had gone to India for employment opportunities.

Sudden inflow of a large mass has created problems such as shortfall of essential supplies and lack of space in quarantines, complained secretary Sah.

We are in need of monetary help form both the Federal and Provincial governments.

Many schools and Madrasas such as Jana Kisha Secondary School, Dipendra Primary School, Nepal Rastriya Primary School have been used as quarters for quarantine to cater to the large inflow of Nepalis from across the border.

Meanwhile, PCR testing of those in quarantine is being conducted, informed Shah.

Likewise, in a span of two days, 70 people entered Nepal illegally.

These 70 Nepali entrants are residents of Duduwa Rural Municipality, which is connected with India border. They’ve also been put into quarantine, said Narendar Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman of Duduwa Rural Municipality.

Also, four people who had sneaked into Nepal from checkpoint of Kajura Rural Municiplaity-1, Rajapur, have been kept in quarantine in close observation of medical doctors, said Kismat Kumar Kashyapati, Chairman of Kajura Rural Municiplaity-1, Rajapur.

Now, there are a total of 748 people living in quarantine, said Naresh Shrestha, focal person of Banke District Health Office.

973 have tested negative and 25 tested positive out of 1,084 swab samples, and other samples are being tested in the PCR method.