Three individuals who recently returned home from India through Sudurpaschim Province have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the state-owned news agency RSS.
Citing Hemraj Joshi, the epidemic focal person at the Sudurpaschim Province Health Directorate, RSS reported that the confirmed cases include two men and one woman.
“The cases involve a 20-year-old man from Punarbas, Kanchanpur; a 32-year-old man from Dhakari, Achham; and a 24-year-old woman from Dhangadhi, Kailali,” said Joshi.
Joshi further stated that the three were among 36 individuals who had entered Nepal via the Gaurifanta border point after returning from various cities in India. "All confirmed patients have been advised to remain in home isolation," he added.
Samples from the positive cases have been sent to the Central Public Health Laboratory in Teku, Kathmandu for further PCR testing to determine the variant of the virus. "Only after the tests in Kathmandu will we know which COVID-19 variant they are infected with," Joshi told RSS.
With COVID-19 infections still active in India and other neighboring countries, health authorities in Nepal are on high alert. Officials have expressed concern over the possibility of cross-border transmission leading to a fresh outbreak.
In response, health desks and monitoring mechanisms at all border checkpoints in Sudurpaschim have been strengthened.
The Department of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Population has also directed local hospitals, offices, and laboratories to remain vigilant and prepared for a potential outbreak.
However, despite these instructions, Sudurpaschim is currently facing a shortage of COVID-19 test kits, raising concerns over timely detection and containment efforts, according to RSS.
