KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have drawn attention of the government to adopt necessary alertness to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection and to stop artificial shortage of medicines.

During the zero hour of today's meeting of the House of Representatives, they urged the government, through the Speaker, to make arrangement of supply of daily essentials and surgical masks, saying artificial shortage of such things has started taking place in the market.

On the occasion, Nepali Congress lawmaker Pushpa Bhusal asked the government to adopt alertness not to allow spread of COVID-19 infection in the country as it has started spreading across the world.

Drawing the government's attention towards shortage of daily essentials in markets, lawmaker of Nepal Communist Party, Dharmashila Chapagain, urged the government to take action immediately against those creating artificial shortage of daily essentials in market.

A person arrived in Nepal from Wuhan of China on January 23 was tested positive for coronavrus infection and the person is now corona-free and no other case of infection was reported in Nepal so far, according to the government.

A high-level coordination committee on the coronavirus prevention on Thursday decided to adopt high-alertness to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, not to allow shortage of daily essentials in market and to make awareness programme effective.

COVID-19 virus has already spread in 84 countries around the world. According to the World Health Organization, out of 95,481 people infected with the corona, so far 3,285 lost their lives due to this.

Likewise, lawmakers demanded control of corruption, adjustment of petroleum products on the basis of an automated pricing system, in the zero hour of the session.

Lawmaker Dila Sangroula of Nepali Congress said that corruption in the country had been spreading like coronavirus, seeking a probe in to the security printing press scam and punishment against the guilty. Another NC lawmaker Dilendra Prasad Badu expressed his concern over a double rise on the tax of petroleum products, demanding the government withdraw the decision. "The price of petroleum products be fixed on the basis of its international price."

Similarly, lawmakers wished for speedy recovery of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who has been recuperating at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital following his second kidney transplant.

Lawmakers praising Samiksha Sangraula, who had donated her kidney to the Prime Minister, for her courage and generosity, said the successful kidney transplant conducted at home increased the confidence of domestic medical institutions and health professionals.

NCP's Purna Kumari Subedi, Nawaraj Silwal and Dev Prasad Gurung were among those airing their views in the zero session. Gurung extended best wishes to all Nepali women at home and abroad on the occasion of upcoming International Women's Day on March 8.