Lawmakers test negative

Kathmandu, May 8

Laboratory results of all 440 lawmakers and employees of the Parliament Secretariat who underwent coronavirus test using polymerase chase reaction method yesterday has come out negative. Among the 440 people who underwent PCR tests, 212 are federal lawmakers — 179 members of the House of Representatives and 33 members of the National Assembly.

Today a total of 261 people, including 66 HoR members, 21 NA members and 174 employees of the Parliament Secretariat underwent PCR test, according to Spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat Dasharath Dhamala. Twenty-six members of HoR and four members of NA are yet to undergo PCR test.

All those who underwent PCR test today were not allowed to attend the opening day of the budget session today.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors and health professionals deployed by the Parliament Secretariat collected throat and nasal swabs of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today.

The Parliament Secretariat has asked print and online journalists to gather news from audio-visual details available on the Parliament’s website as it was trying to avoid crowd at the media centre in the face of COVID-19 pandemic.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 9, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.