Coronavirus | Nepal seals 14 mosques, quarantines 33 Indians

PTI

Thirty three Indian nationals and seven Pakistanis taking refuge in these mosques have been quarantined, according to a private news channel of the country.

Authorities in Nepal’s Sunsari district on Saturday sealed 14 mosques and quarantined 33 Indians and seven Pakistanis taking refuge in Kathmandu, amid a surge in the coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country, according to a media report. The mosques were sealed in Itahari Municipality in eastern Nepal.

Thirty three Indian nationals and seven Pakistanis taking refuge in these mosques have been quarantined, according to Avenues Television, a private news channel.

The move came a day after 12 Indians were tested positive for COVID-19, nearly doubling the number of infected persons in the country.

The Indian nationals who tested positive have been staying at a local mosque in Udayupur district of Eastern Nepal. They have been admitted to Special Corona Hospital in Biratnagar of Eastern Nepal for treatment. Sixteen Nepalese nationals who were staying in the same mosque were also quarantined.

On Friday, the number of COVID-19 patients rose to 30 with 14 new coronavirus cases registered in a single day.

Meanwhile, main Opposition party Nepali Congress has demanded that the government form an all-party mechanisms in each of the local units to monitor the distribution of relief material to the needy during the lockdown imposed to control the coronavirus outbreak.

Nepal will be under lockdown until April 27. The party also alleged discrimination by the local government while distributing relief material to the needy people.