Panchthar, June 6

People returning from India have been brought to Panchthar without conducting PCR tests for COVID-19.

Around 100 people, including 38 today, were brought without conducting test for coronavirus in the last three days. They came to the district via Jhapa’s Kakarbhitta and Morang’s Jogbani border points.

Panchthar CDO Arjun Kumar Guragain said that India returnees were brought to the district without COVID-19 test as quarantine facilities were packed in Jhapa and Morang.

Province 1 Minister of Financial Affairs and Planning Indra Bahadur Angbo said that people were sent to Panchthar as holding centres and quarantine facilities in the Tarai had no space to accommodate them.

Earlier, people returning from India would be kept in holding centres and quarantine facilities.

“Since most of the quarantine facilities are full, India returnees will be sent to their home districts and they will undergo test for COVID-19 in their respective districts,” said Minister Angbo.

Earlier, DAO and people’s representatives, however, had decided not to bring people from foreign lands without conducting PCR test on them.

District Coordination Committee Panchthar Chief Bishnu Prasad Sapkota said that people brought to the district without PCR test would be kept in Aguwa Source Centre and Hilihang-based Jorpokhari Secondary School’s quarantine facility.

Twenty-seven people have been kept in Jorpokhari while others have been kept in Phidim.

According to Sapkota, local levels and the concerned health offices will make necessary arrangement for PCR tests and they will be sent to home quarantine only after PCR tests. This is the first time India returnees were brought to the district. The district does not have a confirmed COVID infection case till date.

A total of 602 quarantine beds were prepared in 39 places as of last evening in the district, according to DAO. Three hospitals have 36 isolation wards. A total of 215 people have undergone PCR test in the district so far.

Those who have undergone tests include health workers and security personnel. Swab samples of 11 people have been sent to district headquarters for test.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 7, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.