The District Administration Office in Udayapur has prohibited the movement of those individuals who are waiting for their Covid-19 test results.

On Saturday, the joint meeting of the Corona Crisis Management Centre and the District Security Committee made the decision, citing that the suspected patients can transmit coronavirus to other individuals at the community level. According to the decision, the ban on movement also applies to those individuals who fall under contact tracing.

“People are found going out of their houses after providing their swabs for tests. This has increased the risk of a coronavirus outbreak,” said Chief District Officer of Udayapur Chakrapani Pandey. “But the meeting has decided to collect swab samples of people on condition that they stay in home isolation after providing their swabs,”.

According to the District Administration Office, the local administration will take action on the basis of the Infectious Disease Act 1964 if anyone is found violating the decision.

As of Saturday, Udayapur has reported 125 coronavirus cases, as per the record of the District Health Office. According to Mohan Subedi, chief at the District Health Office, his office has collected 6,914 swab samples so far.

“Until Saturday, we have obtained test results of 6,715 swab samples. The results of 199 samples are yet to be released,” said Subedi.

In the last week, seven employees of the District Land Revenue Office, a security personnel from the District Police Office and some teachers, people’s representatives, businessmen and children have tested positive for coronavirus in Udayapur.

According to Subedi, coronavirus cases are on the rise, as most people do not follow health guidelines and social distancing protocols in the district.

Saturday’s meeting also formed a 10-member district-level inspection team led by Sashi Kumar Lamsal, assistant chief district officer, to make sure people are following the health guidelines. The meeting also extended the prohibitory orders in Triyuga, Chaudandigadhi and Belaka municipalities until the midnight of August 28. Those orders were issued a week ago.

Naresh Dhakal, a local of Gaighat Bazaar in Triyuga Municipality Ward No. 11, said, “People were gradually returning to normalcy after the government lifted the four-month-long nationwide lockdown. Because of that, Covid-19 cases began to surge post lockdown. The move of the local administration is needed to contain the virus.”

Meanwhile, the number of Covid-infected individuals in Province 1 reached 2,487 on Saturday. According to the data of the Ministry of Social Development in the province, there were only 824 Covid-19 patients in the province until July 21 when the nationwide lockdown was lifted. The death toll due to coronavirus has reached 15 in the province until Saturday.