Lamjung, April 5

Local levels in Lamjung have established quarantine facilities to keep COVID-19 suspects and those who have come from abroad, but these facilities are empty.

Eight local levels in the district have established 949 quarantine facilities for those who have returned from abroad, but only 46 people are staying in quarantine.

Those who have returned from abroad have to stay in quarantine for 14 days as they might have been infected with coronavirus.

However, most of the returnees have been gathering among villagers freely.

As many as 280 people had returned to the villages from different countries from March 14 onwards.

According to district coordinator of Quick Response Team as well as Assistant Chief District Officer Anil Kumar Shahi, as many as 949 beds have been set up in four municipalities and four rural municipalities of Lamjung.

He said that there were 60 returnees in Sundar Bazaar Municipality.

“But there is no one staying in the quarantine established by the municipality,” he added. He said that the municipality had established the quarantine facility with 134 beds.

Similarly, the quarantine facility with 50 beds established by Besisahar Municipality in Urban Development Office Building also looked empty.

Mayor Guman Singh Aryal said that two UAE returnees, who were in the quarantine, left after their test turned out negative. He said a quarantine with 160 beds had been established in the municipality area. “But only 10 people are staying in the quarantine,” he added.

Likewise, there are 45 abroad returnees in Rainas Municipality.

“But the quarantine with 60 beds is empty,” said Mayor Singh Bahadur Thapa.

Madhyanepal Municipality has established quarantine with 40 beds. Mayor Ramesh Kumar Pandey said that only three people were staying in quarantine.

There are 48 returnees in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality.

The rural municipality, however, said there were 14 people in quarantine although the facility has 60 beds.

Similarly, there is no one in the quarantine established with 14 beds in Dordi Rural Municipality while there are 20 returnees the rural municipality.

Only one person has been staying in the quarantine established by Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality, although there are 19 returnees in the rural municipality.

Chhupimaya Gurung, chairperson of Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality said that the returnees declined the frequent request of the rural municipality to stay in quarantine.

Kwaholasother Rural Municipality established a quarantine with 444 beds. Chairman Prem Ghale said that 19 people have been staying in the quarantine.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on April 06, 2020 of the Himalayan Times.