Bajura, June 10

COVID-19 suspects have been kept in a tent due to lack of space in the quarantine facility at Bajedi of Budhiganga Municipality, Bajura.

The suspects, including a woman with her 18-monthold baby have been staying in the tent due to lack of space in the quarantine facility at Bajedi Basic Level School.

Aasha Thapa, a health worker, said that a family that had returned from India yesterday was kept in a tent on the school’s playground.

A family member of Ramesh Luwar said they were in India for the last five years and had returned to the country due to fear of the virus.

“Our family of nine members returned to Nepal along with an eighteen-month old baby, but were compelled to stay in the tent,” he added.

Luwar said they were facing problems due to the weak management at the quarantine facility.

As many as 85 people including 14 children have been staying in Bajedi quarantine facility. According to Ward No 2 office, the office will manage space at the facility within one or two days as some of the quarantined people will return to their houses.

The office said it was very difficult to manage people returning from India. As many as 1,278 people are in the quarantine facility in Bajura. As many as 472 children below five years of age are also staying in the quarantine facility.

There are 132 quarantine facilities in Bajura where 5,332 suspects are staying. As many as 304 people are living in the quarantine facility at Himali Rural Municipality, 280 in Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality, 318 in Jagannath Rural Municipality, 302 in Budhinanda Municipality, 276 in Badimalika Municipality, 340 in Gaumul Rural Municipality, 1,195 in Chhededaha Rural Municipality, 1,278 in Budhinanda Municipality and 1,083 in Tribeni Municipality.

According to Bajura Health Office, 20 women, including new mothers and pregnant women have been quarantined.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 11, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.