KAILALI: Works have been affected at several offices in Kailali district after employees at these offices started testing positive for coronavirus, of late.

The services at the Land Reform and Land Revenue Office have been halted after coronavirus infection was confirmed in some of the employees. Service-seekers, in large numbers, had started thronging at the office with the lifting of the lockdown.

The Office, through a public notice, stated that all its works except the internal administrative ones have been suspended until October 19 due to the increase in the risk of COVID-19.

The Agricultural Development Bank’s banking office at Dhangadhi also had to be shut after infection was found in its employees.

Meanwhile, a woman employee at the Seti Provincial Hospital’s corona laboratory has tested positive for the deadly virus. Her health is said to be normal and she is staying in home isolation, the Hospital sources said.

The state government’s Ministry of Social Development said additional 74 people tested positive for coronavirus in the Sudurpaschim state on Monday. With this the number of infected persons has reached 8,124. The active cases have been increasing in the State in recent days. The number of active cases has reached 1,211 as of Monday. It was 1,035 a week back.

According to health workers, the risk of COVID-19 has increased with the growing movement of people and their activities without adopting the set health safety standards. The risk has increased further with those in home isolation also neglecting the health safety protocols.

Nineteen people have succumbed to the infection in the State so far. They include 10 in Kailali, two each in Achham, Bajhang and Bajura and one each in Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura and Baitadi district.