Dhangadhi, June 5: Three individuals who recently returned from India have tested positive for COVID-19. According to Hemraj Joshi, the COVID-19 focal person at the Provincial Health Directorate, the infected include two men and one woman.
The confirmed cases include a 20-year-old man from Punarbas in Kanchanpur, a 32-year-old man from Dhakari in Achham, and a 24-year-old woman from Dhangadhi in Kailali. “Among 36 suspected individuals returning from various cities in India via the Gauriphanta border, three tested positive,” Joshi said. “They have all been advised to stay in home isolation.”
Samples from the infected individuals have been sent to the National Public Health Laboratory in Teku, Kathmandu, for PCR testing to determine the variant of the virus, Joshi added. “Only after PCR analysis in Kathmandu will we know which COVID variant they have.”
Given the ongoing rise in COVID-19 cases in India and other neighboring countries, health authorities have increased surveillance at border points in Sudurpaschim to prevent possible outbreaks in Nepal.
The Department of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Population has instructed all subordinate offices, hospitals, and laboratories to remain prepared for a potential outbreak. However, officials report a shortage of COVID-19 testing kits in the Sudurpaschim region, raising concerns about timely detection and response.
According to Ministry of Health and Population, nearly 12,000 people lost their lives and 991,000 people recovered during Covid-19 pandemic period. #nepal #covid #PCR
