GAIGHAT: A four-member team deployed from Nepali Army collected throat swab specimen from 152 persons, including 18 NA officers, in the second phase of COVID-19 tests being conducted in Triyuga Municipality-3 of Udayapur district.

The team of medics under the command of Major Dr Prachi Rayamajhi from Shree Birendra Hospital (SBH) in Chhauni reached Bhulke on a helicopter to collect the samples on Sunday.

The samples were sent to Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku, for COVID-19 test. The samples were delivered to Kathmandu by an ambulance on Sunday night.

NA sprang into action after the local level appealed to the federal government to dispatch a team of specialists to the area which was sealed after over a dozen people currently residing in the area tested positive for the infection.

An all-party meeting was held on Saturday including local representatives and members of civil society.

According to chief at Udayapur District Health Office, Mohan Subedi, tests are being conducted in three phases.

Throat swab specimen from 69 persons were collected on Saturday in the first phase. The samples were sent to a hospital in Biratnagar for the confirmatory test. The procedure was conducted by a medical team from Joshi Zonal Hospital, led by Dr Jayabendra Yadav.

He said 152 samples were collected in the second phase, which is underway. Meanwhile, the medical team from NA have been collecting samples from people living in the neighbourhood of Bhulke, Triyuga-3. He also informed that the samples of throat swab will be collected for test from each and every individual in the municipality in the third phase.

Likewise, Triyuga Municipality Mayor Baldev Chaudhary said a correspondence has been made with the central government requesting arrangement for the test for 25,000 individuals of Triyuga ward no. 1, 2, 6 and 12 as those found infected had reportedly roamed around in the areas extensively.