KATHMANDU: Main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has emphatically asked the government to announce a state of a medical emergency in the country as dengue has infected around 4,000 people throughout the country.

NC lawmaker Radheshyam Adhikari asked isn’t it high time that the government announced a medical emergency in the country?

He queried, “What is stopping from doing it?” Speaking during today’s National Assembly meeting, lawmaker Adhikari urged the government to put in more effort to control the outbreak.

Stating that dengue has spread in more than 56 out of the 77 districts, he queried, “Should we remind the government that this a national epidemic?”

He reinforced the need to announce a medical emergency at the earliest. “Or else, this will invite unfortunate circumstances,” he warned.

Adhikari made it a point to criticize the government which had said that the time and situation were not matured to announce medical emergency since only a few people have died.

Lawmaker Adhikari asked, “When is your (government’s) right time to take the right step?”