NEPALGUNJ, AUGUST 5

COVID-19 was detected in a government employee for the first time in Nepalgunj on July 27.

A female staff working at the Banke Transport Management Office tested positive for the virus. Since then, employees in seven government offices have contracted the deadly virus in the last ten days.

With the detection of COVID-19, Transport Management office, Inland Revenue Office, Banke District Court, Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City, and Area Police Office have been sealed for an indefinite period.

People without travel history have contracted the virus proving that the disease has spread in the community.

Infection cases have been spiking in Banke’s government offices of late.

Banke DAO has clamped prohibitory order in Nepalgunj, but government offices are still at high risk of COV- ID-19. With the detection of COVID in government employees, all services except essential ones have been shut down.

Health workers warned that the situation could be terrible if safety measures were not put in place. COV- ID has spread in the community after local levels stopped keeping people vulnerable to COVID in quarantine facilities. Government health officials are appealing to take precautions to prevent the virus spread.

Banke DAO had enforced the prohibitory order from last Sunday to Saturday.

Banke CDO Ram Bahadur Kurunmbang said the DAO had issued the order after COVID cases surged.

The DAO has urged all and sundry not to venture out of their homes during the prohibitory period. All services except essential ones have been banned. “COVID had come under control. But, infections spiked after the lockdown was lifted,” CDO Kurumbang added.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 6, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.