KATHMANDU: Experts have warned that coronavirus will further spread across the country from the Kathmandu Valley during the festivals Dashain and Tihar.

They have suggested that the government should adopt a special health strategy to stem the coronavirus pandemic from spreading further during the festivals.

“People returning home from the valley during Dashain will infect the locals in their respective home towns and bring the virus back to the capital upon their return,” said Dr Basudev Pandey, virologist and director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD).

According to deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, the Kathmandu Valley reported 11,791 active cases – 9,463 in Kathmandu, 1,088 in Bhaktapur and 1,240 in Lalitpu – until Friday.

This is 55.52 percent of the total 21,234 active cases across the country.

“The number of people going out of the valley is more now-a-days than the number entering the capital,” said Adhikari, adding, “It is worrisome to have almost two-thirds of the active cases in the Kathmandu valley alone.”

Earlier, there was fear of infection in the valley from the outside districts, now the situation has turned the other way round. The outside districts are now prone to coronavirus infection from the valley, said former director of EDCD Dr GD Thakur.

The chances of coronavirus infections in the outside districts are very high in the upcoming festivals Dashain and Tihar, said Thakur, stressing the need to adopt special safety measures.