KAVRE: Local levels in Kavrepalanchok district are being sealed off gradually owing to the increased risk of coronavirus infection. The Mandandeupur municipality and Bhumlu rural municipality have closed the major entry points to the localities after the detection of the virus including on people’s representatives.

As said by Mandandeupur mayor Tok Bahadur Tamang, the movements of public and private vehicles except for those most essential purposes and the people have been restricted along with the entry points. Hotels and shops are closed and people’s gathering and crowds prohibited to prevent the virus from further spreading.

People who had close contact with the ward 12 chair who has been tested positive for the virus have been publicly appealed to undergo the PCR test. Anyone found violating the rules shall be punished and fined according to the Infectious Disease Act-2020 BS.

Similarly, Dhulikhel municipality has suspended the delivery of entire service except the most essential ones beginning from today for a week, citing that infection rate in the district headquarters Dhulikhel and throughout the district was going up day by day. It has sought to take all safety measures including the practice of social distancing while organizing any meeting, seminar, gathering and observing festival in the locality.

Efforts are on whether to seal off the Dhulikhel bazaar after a 98-year-old person tested positive for the virus.

Mayor Ashok Kumar Byanju said it would be required to close the entire points if the infection spreads further.  Dhulikhel is a major exit point to Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Ramechhap via the Araniko Highway and Sindhuli and other eastern Tarai districts via the BP Highway.

Also, Banepa municipality has announced to close the service delivery from tomorrow citing the increasing infection rates within the town, despite the adoption of precautionary measures. It has sought the closure of all businesses except the most essential ones from this morning and the adoption of health safety guidelines.

The Bhumlu rural municipality too has sealed off its points and urged everyone publicly not to go outside for non-essential works and follow the health safety guidelines while being at home and outside for most essential purposes.

The same is the case in Panchkhal municipality- it suspended to render service since Friday after a woman died of coronavirus at ward no 1.  Ward no 6 chair Ramsharan Dulal said the Dulalthok-based Panchkhal Primary Health Center has been sealed off for two days.

Other local levels in the district, through a public notice, have urged locals to stay safe. Panauti municipality mayor Bhim Prasad Neupane said if the infection was seen, they had to seal off the settlement to entry points. The Namobuddha municipality is discussing whether to seal the area after the COVID-19 positive case was detected in the locality.

Meanwhile, the District Administration Office, Dhulikhel on Friday issued a notice urging not to hold any meeting, gathering, seminar or a discussion in major market areas.

The Dhulikhel Hospital has been closed since Thursday and 120 medicos have been sent to quarantine after the patients and health workers contracted the virus.

So far the district reports 70 cases while 29 cases have been recovered. One woman died of it while 41 are in COVID-19 isolation.

According to COVID-19 prevention and containment, command post, presently there are 102 males and 16 females in a total of 845-bed quarantine facilities at 13 local levels in the district while 917 males and 188 females have returned homes after the quarantine stay.

The first coronavirus death in the country: a 29-year-old post-partum mother took place in Dhulikhel Hospital.