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The only way to keep the country safe is to screen and test every suspected case as advised by the World Health Organisation

With the partial lockdown to go into effect from today in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, there is a last-minute scram by the people to leave the capital to reach their homes in the villages. All non-essential services are coming to a halt from today, Monday. They include, among others, long-distance travel by road and all international flights to and from Nepal’s only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport, in Kathmandu. With shops and restaurants shuttered for lack of business and workers, the capital’s streets are already wearing an eerie look. As in other parts of the globe, the coronavirus is creating a panic in the country, with neighbouring India now reporting six deaths, and the total number of cases jumping to more than 300. The partial lockdown will, however, help in containing the virus only if there is total coordination among all the government agencies to screen all possible sources of the virus. Unfortunately, potential carriers of the virus seem to have ignored the government instructions and have arrived in Nepal by air and land.

Clearly, some airline companies have been violating immigration rules by flying in passengers, both Nepalis and foreigners, who had travelled from restricted countries. On Saturday, the arrival of 64 Nepalis from restricted countries, such as Malaysia, Japan and some Gulf countries, on two flights put the government in a dilemma, and it had no option but to send them to the quarantine centre in Bhaktapur, for 14 days. At least 55 foreigners arriving here from restricted countries in recent times have been turned back from the airport. And neither Nepalis nor foreigners seem to be serious about self-quarantining themselves for two weeks on arrival here. While the TIA was seen as a potential entry point, the mass influx of Nepalis from India in the wake of the coronavirus scare, has made it impossible for the health workers to cope with the crowd at the border points that are still open. In such a scenario, should any carrier escape the attention of the health workers there, this could nullify all the efforts being made by the government and the people at large to keep the virus at bay.

The only way to keep the country safe is to screen and test every suspected case as advised by the World Health

Read the full story on The Himalayan Times

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