Surkhet, March 23

Some 62 isolation wards have been set up by the government in Karnali Province, which comprises 10 districts.

In view of the threat of the coronavirus, while 35 isolation wards have been set up at Karnali Province Hospital of Surkhet, four wards have been set up at Health Sciences Institute of Jumla.

Similarly, while district hospitals in West Rukum and Dolpa each have four isolation wards, three such wards have been set up each at district hospital in Kalikot, Humla, Dailekh and Jajarkot. Similarly, two isolation wards have also been set up at District Hospital of Mugu.

According to Karnali Health Directorate Director Rita Bhandari Joshi, a 1,000 bed quarantine centre has been set up in Surkhet for keeping suspected coronavirus patients. “In view of the risk of coronavirus, Nepali Army constructed the 1,000-bed quarantine facility,” she said, adding that quarantine facilities were also set up in almost all districts and private hospitals have also been told to be ready to set up isolation wards, if required.

Further, according to Joshi, the province has three expert doctors to deal with coronavirus patients. “The three doctors have received training in Kathmandu on how to collect blood from suspected coronavirus patients and tend to them; in case anyone is seen with the coronavirus, the special doctors will be there to tend to them,” she said.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has urged people in the province not to come out of home without any genuine reason. The government directed security agencies to detain anyone found to be walking in groups outside home without any justifiable reason.

The provincial capital Birendranagar has been closed indefinitely from today itself. The closure came in the wake of Surkhet CCI’s appeal to the business fraternity to close all businesses, except those dealing with essential commodities and services.