Pokhara, April 5:    At Annapurna rural municipality of Kaski, 18 people, among those recently returned home from abroad have completed a 16-day quarantine when the COVID-19 pandemic poses a grave health threat.    

Earlier, the local government had identified 30 people as probable suspects in coordination and support of local political parties, people's representatives and civil society and put them in red zone. Of them, 16 completed their stay in quarantine on Friday and two on Saturday.    

The rural municipality has implemented a 16-day home quarantine for those seems vulnerable of contracting the virus due to their exposure to the outer world.

They had been kept in home quarantine under a special surveillance of health workers. Remaining 12 people are yet to complete the quarantine time.    

Similarly, Madi rural municipality in the district is preparing to distribute relief assistance to some 700 indigent families hit hard by a nationwide lockdown amid the COVID-19 crisis.    

Each family will be getting 25 kilos of rice, edible oil, salt , pulses and other daily essentials equivalent to Rs 2,000, according to rural municipality chair Bed Bahadur Gurung.    

The rural municipality has built a 10-bed quarantine facility and two have already returned home after spending 14 days there. Health workers have been mobilised to make people aware of the diseases via home visits.

It has ensured Rs one million insurance scheme for those health workers appointed on a contract basis and all health workers on duty during the crisis have been given Rs 500 per day as food allowance.    

Meantime, the Gandaki state government has announced a relief package targeting daily wage workers. The relief materials will be distributed through the local levels.    

In Devghat rural municipality of neighbouring district Tanahu, two people: one male and one female- have returned home after completing a quarantine time.

They had recently arrived from Dubai and were in the quarantine based in the Parashar Basic School of Byas municipality-6. Now one person is in the quarantine, according to ward chair Mohan Kumar Shrestha.    

Quarantine facilities consisting of 174 beds have been built in several parts of the district and isolation chambers consisting of 46 beds have been set up at five locations.     

In four municipalities and six rural municipalities in Tanahu, a total of 697 people returned home from abroad till Friday and health condition of those in quarantine is normal, according to District Health Office, Tanahu's chief Shankar Babu Adhikari.     

'None would be left hungry'    

 Arrangements are in place for feeding 55 workers in Damauli once a day since Saturday. The meal is free and it is managed by the Tanahu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Damauli market unit on the initiation of vegetable suppliers at Byas municipality-3.    

Municipality mayor Baikuntha Neupane said no citizen within the municipality need to stay hungry during the crisis. The municipality has allocated Rs 7.5 million for the relief and medical assistance during the crisis.    

Likewise, Gharpajhong rural municipality in Mustang has purchased medicines and medical equipment to fight COVID-19 risk. Rural municipality chair Aash Bahadur Thakali said the materials have already reached the ward level.    

Besides, the rural municipality has established a 500 thousand for the prevention, containment and treatment of coronavirus, administrative officer Netra Poudel said.

It has built a 20-bed quarantine at Janahit Secondary School, Jomsom; a seven-bed at Namuna Basic School, Jomsom; a three-bed each at Janakalyan Basic School, Syangja; Mukti Namuna Basic School Thini and Chhairo Basic School, Chairo.