Govt on high alert about possible spread of coronavirus: Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health and Population has said that the government was on high alert over possible spread of coronavirus in areas where Nepalis to be rescued from Chinese cities are going to be quarantined.

Efforts are on to provide security and surveillances at the areas where the Nepali returnees are kept in coordination with the ministries of home, defence, foreign affairs, urban development, culture, tourism and civil aviation, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, read a statement issued on Wednesday by the health ministry.

The government is set to repatriate the Nepalis from the virus-hit cities of China in a few days. Expect for a Nepali infected with the virus out of 18 tested so far, no other Nepalis are reported to be infected, according to the statement. The infected Nepali has now been cured, said Health Ministry’s Spokesperson Mahendra Prasad Shrestha.

According to the Ministry, the virus that was first detected in Wuhan city of Hubei province has spread to 22 provinces of China and 24 countries so far. The students in the virus prone Chinese cities who the government is planning to repatriate to Nepal are not infected with the virus, said the Ministry.

Nepalis returning from China get health checkup and are sent to hospital if found infected, and others who are not found infected are sent to quarantines managed by the government, said the Ministry. Those who are put in quarantines get regular health checkup and are kept in isolation if found suspicious of the virus and preventive measures would be taken so as to contain possible spread of the infection as per the standards of the World Health Organisation, according to the statement.