Kala-azar claims one

DHARAN: Kala-azar patients have increased in Dharan and many Tarai districts. As many as 13 cases of kala-azar patients were reported in the past three months — January to March — in the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), while one of them has already died, records revealed. The deceased has been identified as Kshitiz Rai, 37, of Dharan-3. During that period, 34 kala-azar patients were admitted in hospitals Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa, Saptari and other districts. Head of the BPKIHS Medical Records Section, Dharanidhar Baral, said the disease, which used to affect poor families, is now creating havoc in urban areas also.

Border to be sealed

BHAIRAHAWA: A meeting of border authorities from Nepal and India on Friday decided to seal the border on Sunday keeping in view the election for the Bidhan Sabha in Uttar Pradesh state in India, Rupandehi Superintendent of Police Rabiraj Shrestha said. The authorities also discussed curbing criminal activities along the border and arresting criminals who cross the border after committing crime, Shrestha said. — HNS