RAUTAHAT: Those kept in various quarantine facilities in Rautahat district are compelled to sleep on the floors in absence of proper beds.

The Nepali nationals who enter Nepal from India through the Indo-Nepal border journey from the border checkpoints to quarantine facilities at their respective local levels which by all means lack prescribed infrastructures and essential facilities.

The persons who are in the quarantine facilities of Gaur, Rajpur, Ishanath and Rajdevi Municipalities have no choice but to sleep on mats and plastics rolled on the floors, and are bound to order food from their own homes since sub-standard food is provided to them at the facilities.

Ever since neighbouring India eased lockdown restrictions which facilitated the movement of migrant workers, 38 quarantine facilities in 16 municipalities and two rural municipalities in the district are under pressure for witnessing greater influx with as many as 3,174 people dwelling at the aforementioned quarantines, as of today.

Moreover, lack of proper access to drinking water, toilet facilities, and vulnerability to mosquito bites owing to the surging temperature in the district put people at a greater risk of transmission.

Instances of physical disputes too have been experienced at the quarantine facilities.

All of these constraints only put those in quarantine facilities at greater risk of other diseases including Malaria and Dengue atop the COVID-19 transmission.

Positive cases of the coronavirus infection are soaring in the district with 35 cases being reported only today, making it one of the highly affected districts of the respiratory infection in the country.