MAHENDRANAGAR, Jan 4: With the increasing number of Omicron virus infection cases in India, initiatives have been taken at the Gaddachauki checkpoint along the Nepal-India border to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. New Delhi is 352 kilometers away from the Gaddachauki checkpoint of Kanchanpur.
Antigen testing of people returning home from India via the Gaddachauki checkpoint is being conducted and vaccination against the coronavirus has been forwarded. The number of Nepalis returning home after leaving work has been increasing following the increasing cases of omicron in different cities of India including Delhi, Karnataka and Gujarat.
"Kanchanpur is at high risk of the omicron virus infection. We are at high risk as compared to others due to the increasing cases of Omicron in Delhi," Chief of Health Office, Kanchanpur, Shivaraj Sunar, said.
First six tourists entering Nepal from Gaddachauki welcomed
He shared that they have made arrangements of coronavirus testing facilities and vaccines for those returning from India at Gaddachauki checkpoint, adding that tests of tuberculosis and malaria are also conducted along with coronavirus tests at the checkpoint.
COVID-19 was detected in four people among India returnees at the checkpoint on Monday and the collected samples have been sent to Kathmandu keeping the infected persons at Mahakali Provincial Hospital, Sunar added.
Sunar mentioned that they have been coordinating with the bodies concerned for the arrangement of health tests in further effective ways at the checkpoint and holding centers. There is a problem in preventing and controlling the virus due to the open border, he said
The health office said preparations are on to manage tests for the COVID-19 Omicron variant within the district. A PCR lab is required to detect the variant.
Sudurpaschim Province Health Directorate’s COVID-19 focal person Hemraj Joshi said they have planned to intensify the COVID-19 vaccine inoculation campaign to curb the possible infection risk from the lately detected variant of COVID-19.
“The COVID-19 vaccine coverage in the district is 54-60 percent and we target to hit up to 90 percent,” he said. The province has stocks of Vero Cell and Pfizer vaccines. “Our geographical proximity with India demands us to be more attentive to the prevention of the possible entry and spread of the virus.”
Area Police Office, Gaddachauki has reported the detection of five positive cases among the people returning home from India this morning. It is said until some time ago, there were a couple of positive cases in a week, but these days the graph is rising.
(RSS)
