GAIGHAT: The local administration has eased movement in the settlement in Bhulke, Triyuga Municipality-3 of Udayapur district from today.

The local administration, on a directive issued by Province 1 government, had sealed off the entire village the day after twelve people who had been staying in local Noorie Mosque tested positive for COVID-19 on April 17.

Indian nationals who had travelled to Nepal to take part in a religious function had been staying in the mosque as they could not travel back home due to lockdown.

Acting on the complaints from locals, the authorities had collected swab specimens from 12 Indian nationals along with four Nepalis, who were residents of Biratnagar.

With the easing of restriction in the settlement, movement of people was witnessed today, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Bir Bahadur Budhamagar. He said, nevertheless, the local administration would carry on conducting patrol and vigilance in the area.

Of the total 33 people who were infected with COVID-19, 32 are from Bhulke.

According to Udayapur District Health Office (DHO) Chief, Mohan Subedi, those infected with coronavirus have been discharged while the test conducted on 582 people using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method through contact tracing came out negative.

The health office chief said that COVID-19 transmission came under control as preventive measures were taken and tests were carried out as quick as possible. As many as 24 persons -- who were discharged from the hospital and had been placed in a quarantine centre at Motigada-based Triyuga Multiple Campus -- have returned home today.

Health Ministry has reported 114 new cases of coronavirus infection which has taken the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 886. The country has witnessed four deaths from the respiratory contagion while 183 have recovered.