By Sur Bahadur Singh, Surkhet, May 19: Karnali State, which was considered as the safe zone till the 56th day of the lockdown order, has increased the surveillance level as the first case of the coronavirus spotted in Dailekh district. On Monday, a youth from Aathbis Municipality-1 in Dailekh district that shares border with the capital city of state Surkhet was tested positive for coronavirus.    

The youth had arrived home from Agra of Indian city just a week ago.    

Mayor of Aathbis Municipality Khadga Upadhyay said that 39 people including the youth had arrived in quarantine at Banbasa in Kanchanpur in 41 days of their journey and they were rescued with the initiative of the municipality on May 13.    

The Mayor said that human mobility from one ward to the next is sealed after the youth was infected with coronavirus. “The State government is urged to increase the scope of test for coronavirus,” he stated.    

Sharing that 52 migrant workers have arrived from Indian cities in the municipality alone, Mayor Upadhyay said that surveillance has been increased and added that quarantines of 193 beds were prepared in the municipality.    

He also shared that the health condition of the infected youth is normal.    

Likewise, Social Development Minister of the Karnali State, Dala Rawal, said that the doctors have been directed to work for the contact tracing after the first case was confirmed in Dailekh.    

As a part of alertness, screening centre has been established at Chhinchu of Surkhet to compulsorily screen the people coming to Karnali from India and for their RDT test.    

He said the State government was thinking to elongate the stay of quarantine upto 21 days and ensure effective health care service for the infected.    

Likewise, security situation would also be beefed up as people coming home in a clandestine manner from Indian cities have caused the increased level of threat for coronavirus infection.    

Similarly, Director of Health Service Rita Bhandari Joshi said that PCR test of 300 individuals is taking place today. And, the swabs from Kalikot, Humla, Rukum, Dolpa and Mugu are also being collected, she added.