Nepalgunj, March 15

Two persons died due to novel coronavirus infection in India’s Lucknow and some more were found to be infected with COVID-19 at some places bordering Nepal.

Surprisingly, Bheri Hospital in Neplagunj of Banke seems oblivious to possible virus outbreak as it has not done anything to fight against the contagion till date. The hospital has managed an isolation ward with five beds for possible coronavirus patients.

“However, the isolation ward has no equipment for treatment, it has been established only for the sake of formality,” said medical superintendent at the hospital Dr Prakash Bahadur Thapa.

He said the hospital did not even have a coronavirus testing kit. He added the isolation ward had to be fully equipped.

Dr Thapa said it was very difficult to take sample from a suspected case. “Doctors and technicians in the hospital do not even know how to collect throat swab from a suspected patient,” he informed.

He said there were no vehicles and experts to take the collected sample to Teku-based central laboratory.

According to Dr Thapa, Bheri Hospital even lacked personal protective gear and N 95 masks.

Coronavirus Focal Person at Bheri Hospital Dr Sanket Rishal said chances of coronavirus spread from India were very high in Nepalgunj due to the open border. He said hospitals and health workers in Nepalgunj should be on high alert as coronavirus patients had already been found in the bordering city of India.