PANCHTHAR: A lockdown has been imposed to curb the spread of novel coronavirus in Phidim Municipality of Panchthar district.

The pandemic lockdown has come into effect from12:00 am today and will continue till September 3.

The separate meetings held by Panchthar District Administration Office, District Level Disaster Management Committee and Phidim Municipality decided to impose lockdown after four Nepal Police personnel recently transferred from Morang's Biratnagar to the municipality tested positive for COVID-19.

Previously, in the district, only seven persons who had recently returned from foreign countries had contracted the respiratory disease.

According to Panchthar's Chief District Officer (CDO) Arjun Kumar Guragain, the lockdown was imposed to prevent the spread of the virus in the community.

Guragain added that the disaster management committee has decided to ban all kind of vehicles including two-wheelers from plying the road.

Likewise, the municipality has decided to shut all the shops except for those supplying essential commodities.

It has been reported that locals have been terrorised in view of possible spread of the contagion through security personnel.

A total of 12 persons including the police personnel have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the district. Five of them have been reported to have recovered while remaining others are undergoing treatment.