Biratnagar / Udayapur, April 18

The condition of 12 people diagnosed with COVID-19, who were admitted to Corona Special Hospital in Biratnagar last night is said to be normal.

After 12 people living in a mosque at Udayapur tested positive for novel coronavirus disease yesterday, they were admitted to Corona Special Hospital.

The hospital, established by the provincial government is managed by Koshi Hospital.

“The condition of all 12 people with COVID-19 is normal”, said Koshi Hospital Biratnagar Medical Superintendent Dr Sangita Mishra, adding, “No problem has been seen in their health”.

Out of 16 people who reached Udayapur for publicity of their religion, 12 tested positive for the deadly virus. Twelve of them are Indian nationals while four are Nepali citizens.

The 12 people who tested positive, including one Nepali, had undergone rapid diagnostic test and their report was negative. But, the throat swab test through polymerase chain reaction had tested positive for novel coronavirus at Koshi Hospital. The throat samples were then sent to National Public Health Laboratory at Teku, Kathmandu, for confirmation. After COVID-19 was confirmed, the 12 were admitted to the corona hospital. The age of the virus-infected people range from 22 to 40.

Koshi Hospital Biratnagar has deployed a team of five doctors for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The hospital has also deployed nurses and assistants.

Out of five doctors, four will attend corona patients every six hours, while one doctor will work round-the clock.

Doctors deployed for treatment will don personal protective equipment. While donning PPE, a doctor will have hard time eating and going to toilet. When a doctor has to eat or go to toilet, he/she has to take off the PPE and once taken off, the PPE cannot be used again.

“The doctors’ team will offer service from home quarantine after seven days”, said Dr Mishra. According to her, patients have started taking medicine.

Similarly, following the confirmation of novel coronavirus in 12 people, including 11 Indian nationals living at a mosque in Jhulke of Triyuga Municipality, Uadayapur, the local administration has sealed the entire Jhulke village since early morning today. People’s movement has been fully banned.

Nepal Police and APF personnel have cordoned off the entire village. “We have cordoned off the whole village and banned people’s movement”, said SP Bir Bahadur Budha Magar.

Udayapur CDO Dipak Kumar Pahadi said that APF and police had tightened security at Jhulke village.

Confirmation of COVID-19 has made locals fearful at Gaighat bazaar. Locals have shut down internal roads leaving them deserted. The coronavirus scare has halted people’s movement. Even dairy industries and shops have shut down.

Udayapur District Health Office Chief Mohan Subedi said Province 1 government had sent three health workers with kits to check the health of locals at Jhulke. Around 600 locals of the village have undergone health check-up till this evening. “After Jhulke, the health of people who were in contact with the COVID-19 patients at the mosque and other villages will be checked” said Subedi.

It has come to light that the COVID-19 patients had stayed at the mosque in Siwai of Chaudandi Municipality, Udayapur, for five days before reaching the mosque at Jhulke.

Meanwhile, six Indian Muslims have been living in the southern part of Siwai village as guests. “Six Muslims have been staying at Mastakim Miya’s home as his guests,” said ward Chair Dev Narayan Chaudhary. He said they had not come into contact with people diagnosed with coronavirus. They have also received relief distributed by the ward office in Kunauli, India. They are still living in the hideout at their relative’s home, said ward Chair Chaudhary.

He demanded that they be taken under control and kept in quarantine.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on April 19, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.