Birgunj turns into COVID-19 hotspot, once again

BIRGUNJ : Birgunj Metropolitan City has turned into a COVID-19 hotspot once again as the second wave of the viral disease hits Nepal and its neighboring country, India severely.

Birgunj has been witnessing a sharp rise in new cases of COVID-19 in recent days as it shares borders with India.

Last year, just a month after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in the area, Birgunj had become the city with the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Nepal. Hospitals were overwhelmed by the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases. “A similar situation can recur if immediate steps are not taken to curb the further spread of COVID-19,” experts warn.

These are extraordinary times and everyone should remain cautious and take necessary precautions against the virus, said Dr Saroj Roshan Das of Narayani Hospital. “The infection seems to have spread at the community level already and the public is unaware of it,” he lamented.

Earlier on Tuesday, two COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at Narayani Hospital died. While the situation is getting worse day by day, the general public is seen defying basic COVID-19 protocols in the area.

There are currently 145 active cases of COVID-19 in the metropolis. Of them, 14 are in home isolation.