BHAIRAHAWA: Following the detection of fifteen COVID-19 cases in four different municipalities of Kapilvastu district, a meeting of the district security committee held today has decided to seal the district for a week, effective from 5:00 pm today till the midnight of May 18.

Among the 15 confirmed cases, eight were detected in Yasodhara Rural Municipality, four in Mayadevi Rural Municipality, one in Suddhodhan Rural Municipality and two in Buddhabhumi Municipality in the district.

"We decided to seal the district for seven days in a bid to prevent the spreading of the novel coronavirus in the district," said Chief District Officer (CDO) Dirgha Narayan Paudel.

District Health Office Chief Yogendra Bhagat said, "We have initiated a campaign to quarantine immediate family members of the infected persons, and others who came in contact with them."

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 Nepalis are stranded in the border areas of Kapilvatus district as the government sealed the border during the COVID-19 crisis. If the government does not address the issue of stranded Nepalis in the border area, the crisis would deepen in the district, warned civil society leader Radindara Nath Thakur.

DPO Spokesperson, administrative officer Manoj Saini said, around 379 people are still kept in quarantine centres across the district.

All of the infected persons were taken to Butwal-based corona hospital for treatment and their health is said to be in normal condition.

Meanwhile, the health ministry has dispatched a four-member medical team under Dr Yadunath Ghimire in the district.