JAJARKOT: The risk of possible spread of the coronavirus pandemic looms large in Jajarkot as locals along with foreign returnees are violating the lockdown and refraining from mandatory quarantine provision.

But locals have said that persons who are staying in quarantine haven’t been following the quarantine norms properly and openly moving around with their families.

“Clearly, the provisions such as home quarantine and lockdown haven’t been observed in the district, and as people are dismissive about these preventive measures against the deadly virus, it has increased the possiblity of spread of the disease,” said Nara Bahadur Basnet of Kudu, Bheri Municipality.

Chief District Officer (CDO) Kishor Kumar Shrestha conceded that the provision of mandatory quarantine for people returning from outside hasn’t been fully implemented in the district.

“It’s true that not all who have returned from India have been put in quarantine. But we’re taking initiative to keep all of those who have returned from India recently in quarantine for some days in coordination with the local bodies concerned,” he said, adding his office is now collecting details of people who have entered the country secretly in the wake of COVID-19 crisis.

Dr. Bhupendra Malla of District Hospital urged all coming from abroad to follow the mandatory quarantine provision.

“Anyone who doesn’t have any symptoms of the virus (coronavirus) now may still develop such symptoms within 14 days, so mixing with friends and family without being through the quarantine can be dangerous as it also exposes our friends and family to the contagion,” Dr Malla shared. .

Some of them crossed the border from India secretly thereby avoiding the mandatory screening on the border and are openly moving in their locality freely. Such people could lead to spreading the contagion to the health workers and others.

Until now, no one has kept any record of how many people have returned home from India in Jajarkot.

According to police, 18 persons who have returned from India recently are in home quarantine in Ward Numbers-10 and 11 in Bheri Municipality. Similarly, 14 persons in Shivalaya-1 and 2, three in Borekot Rural Municipality-9, and 8 in Chhedagada Municipality-3, 6 and 10.

With the threat of the coronavirus spreading in India, a large number of people from the district who were working in there have now returned to home.