GAIGHAT: Udaypur district is facing a shortage of medical equipment to expand the coronavirus testing in Bhulke and Triyuga of Triyuga municipality-3.

It should be noted that Bhulke and Triyuga reported 24 cases of COVID-19, out of 41 cases confirmed so far across the country, portending the greater risk of the spread of virus there.

According to the District Public Health Office (DPHO), Udyapur, it is facing problems to increase the rate of testing in the absence of required medical item to collect the swab samples.

Office chief Mohan Subedi said Bhulke now remains as the epicenter of COVID-19 outbreak not only in Udaypur but also in the entire country.

It is home to around 650 people. But so far, only 319 swab samples have been tested by the State Department of Health Services (69) and the Nepal Army (250) with 24 positive cases which has increased the fear of its further spread, showing the immediate need to broaden the testing coverage.

The office is also facing a growing pressure for so. As Subedi said, in this situation, they can do nothing but to wait for the response from the State and Federal governments.

Among 24 diagnosed with COVID-19 in Bhulke, 10 are locals and they almost were doing business in the local Gaighat market and supplying vegetables to the market and it points out the need of bringing the people Gaighat people in the testing procedures, said Gaighat-11 ward chair Jay Bikram Rai.

Triyuga municipality mayor Baldev Chaurdhari said he was requesting the State and Federal governments for medical equipment so as to reach the testing among more and more people including those of adjoining settlements.

The spread of virus has been suspected in and around a mosque at Siwai of Chaudandai municipality, at the Jame mosque and the Deuri mosque of Triyuga municipality.

The virus was first detected here last Friday on 12 Indian Muslims residing in the Bhulke’s Nuri mosque. Another person from Biratnagar of Morang and temporarily residing in Bhulke was tested positive for the virus later.

On Tuesday morning, eight more people from Bhulke were confirmed to have contracting the virus and three more cases were confirmed in the evening.