SIRAHA: Golbazar Municipality has invested in viral transport medium (VTM) machines in order to boost Covid-19 testing capacities in Siraha district.

As the municipality is reeling under the shortage of the VTMS, they decided to invest in the same after failing to procure kits from the district health office.

Saroj Karna, head of the health department said, "After the federal and state governments stopped delivering VTMs, we have invested on our own to ramp up tests and to control  spread of the pandemic." Currently, swab samples are collected once in every two to three days, said Karna.

The municipality has so far conducted tests on 705 people. "For those suspected to be infected, we are conducting swab testing at the community level for free", said Karna.

As many as 389 people have been infected in the district. As many as 276 have returned home upon recovery whereas 107 are currently being treated in different isolation centres across the districts.

The total death-toll from the infection across the district has reached six.

(Translated by Madhavi Marasini)