By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, Aug. 4: The main governmental offices in Nepalgunj, often crowded by the general people, are becoming one after another the hotspot of COVID-19.

The public offices in Nepalgunj are now suspected of turning into hotspot as many officials working in the Transport Office, Banke District Court, and Nepalgunj sub- metropolitan office have tested positive for the virus in the large scale sample tests of the government employees here after an officer of Inland Revenue Office was found with the virus a week ago.

Dhir Jung Shah, Chief of Banke District Health Office, said, "Four governmental offices and one sweet shop have been sealed off as 62 COVID-19 cases were detected in those offices and the sweet shop".

A planned effort has been made to curb the virus as the whole of the community has been affected due to the sealing off of the offices which directly respond to the concern of the general people, he added.

The virus which was initially seen in Nepaljung had spread through Inland Revenue Office, Nepalgunj and Transport Office, Nepalgunj to Banke District Court has again spread among the officials and people’s representatives of the Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan office.

Uma Thapa Magar, deputy Chief of Nepalgung Sub-metropolitan City, said, "The infection detected among the governmental offices confirms that Nepaljung has become a high risk zone of COVID-19 as hundreds of people visit the governmental offices a day".

The deputy chief added, ‘There is no way out besides the strategic planning to curb the spread of the virus.

The service recipients seeking services from transport, land revenue and legal and municipal offices have been affected due to the shutdown of the governmental offices.  

Hari Pyakurel, assistant of Chief District Officer, said, "The general public are compelled to return home without receiving any services lately.”   There is a pressure to test the officials of the Land Revenue Office and Land Survey Office. 

62 people have tested positive for the virus within a span of a week, according to the Banke District Health Office.

The locals blamed illegal entry to Nepal from India of the close relatives of the local people in Nepalgunj for the spread of the virus here.