By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, May 19: Mass antigen tests have begun in the areas in Kathmandu that are at high risk of coronavirus infection from Tuesday. Health Ministry and the CCMC have identified the high-risk areas.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) have collaborated for the tests, which began from the Kalimati Vegetable and Fruits Market.
A big crowd of wholesalers and retailers gathered to get tested in the morning of the first day. Dhan Prasad Paudel, EDCD technologist, said that identifying the high-risk areas was one of the best ways to know the details about the infections.
“We have told all tested people to stay in home isolation until their report comes out. After that, patients showing symptoms will be sent to hospitals and others will continue to stay in home isolation,” said Bhola Adhikari, EDCD lab technician invigilator.
According to him, it will take five days to show symptoms after the coronavirus enters the body, and the test is effective in identifying the infected from the non-infected people even when there are no symptoms.
A plan has been laid out to test 10,000 people in first phase of the campaign.
We have placed the most crowded areas like vegetable markets in the priority list. Once the tests are completed in the vegetable markets, they will be done in other crowded places, said Gyan Bahadur Oli, KMC COVID focal person.
A team of 15 health workers are mobilised for the antigen test, he said.