By Janu Pandey, Kapilvastu, Apr. 26: Both the daughter and the son of the KC household in Jitpur in Banganga Municipality in Kapilvastu district were scheduled to get married to their respective partners on the same day. Preparations were in full swing.

Families had gathered to join in for the celebration donning fashionable suits, saris and jewellery. Wreaths of flowers adorned the house and relatives flocked the household on Saturday morning to partake in the wedding procession.

But just as the ceremony was about to begin, the atmosphere of celebration turned into a dismal affair. Preparations came to a grinding halt.
One of the close family members, who had been undergoing treatment in Kathmandu after being diagnosed with COVID-19 passed away on the same day. The news devastated the KC family.

With their beloved family member grappling with COVID-19 in the capital, the KC family had jointly decided to finish the wedding without any delay and get the uncle’s blessing. However, every one of the family members was optimistic that he would pull through. Identified as the bride and groom’s uncle, the 52-year-old deceased didn’t have any heart condition or underlying illnesses.

The second wave of the coronavirus has claimed the life of a healthy man, which proves that the new mutant is much more lethal. Likewise, an active 30-year-old resident of Rajapani, Ward No. 8 of the same Municipality, who used to run a hotel, also succumbed to the new wave of coronavirus.

But despite the horrors that the coronavirus is unleashing all across the country, locals are still turning a blind eye to safety health protocols. So far, there are 120 active cases of the virus in the district. Among them, eight are placed on a ventilator while 10 are undergoing treatment in ICU, as per Umesh Chandra Ghimire, health assistant at the District Health Office, Kapilvastu.

Meanwhile, the local government hasn’t been vigilant enough to curb the pandemic. Market places are swarming with people. The schools are still conducting examinations. Banks and other institutions continue serving huge crowds of people without maintaining social distancing. In light of all these carelessness, experts worry that the second wave of the virus is likely to erupt in Kapilvastu.