At a time when the authorities are struggling to trace people who have entered Nepal in the last two weeks, a local unit in Myagdi has announced a cash prize for those who will come forward with information about recent arrivals from foreign countries.

Mangala Rural Municipality announced a cash prize of Rs 1,000 to anyone with information on recent returnees from foreign countries.

“Almost all the countries in the world are now affected by the global outbreak of Covid-19. During these times, we have to remain careful. There is a high chance of imported cases infecting the villages since we saw a large number of Nepalis return in the last few weeks,” said Sata Prasad Roka, chairman of the local body. “We announced the cash prize to trace the returnees and keep them under surveillance to minimise the spread of the disease.”

Roka hopes that the cash prize will encourage the locals to share information so that the authorities can quarantine and test suspected Covid-19 patients.

Several other local governments in Myagdi have also intensified their search for foreign country returnees to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

“As many as 19 people have returned from foreign countries in Malika Rural Municipality in the past 10 days. We have kept their record and asked them to observe self-isolation for 14 days,” Kharmaya Bitalu, the vice-chairperson of Malika, said. “We are working to set up an isolation ward and quarantine facility to observe and examine the health of people arriving from Butwal through Burtibang in Baglung.”

Meanwhile, the public observance of lockdown in the rural areas of Myagdi on Thursday was more thorough than the first two days.

“The people in the rural areas are gradually realising the importance of this lockdown. They have started to stay indoors,” Chief District Officer Gyan Nath Dhakal said.