PARBAT: All the schools in Kusma, the district headquarters of Parbat, have remained closed for the last four days due to a spread of viral fever that broke out last week.

A meeting of all the stakeholders called by the District Hospital decided to shut the institutions until next Friday to control the outbreak.

Him Prasad Poudel, District Chairman, PABSON, said the schools were shut since over 1,000 students had fallen sick. The affected have symptoms of vomiting, headache and high fever.

More than 500 viral fever patients visited the hospital today. There is a rush of patients in private clinics as well, said medical practitioner Bharat Gautam.

Meanwhile, a medical team from Pokhara collected saliva samples from students of Shibalaya Higher Secondary School.

The Bhairabi Battalion of the Nepali Army has sent the samples to Teku Hospital in Kathmandu for lab tests. The reports are expected by Thursday.