Govt to quarantine Nepali evacuees from China in four places

MAY TAKE “AT LEAST A WEEK” TO BRING NEPALIS IN HUBEI HOME

KATHMANDU, Feb 6: The Government of Nepal has decided to quarantine the Nepali nationals who are being evacuated from coronavirus-hit Hubei Province of China in four different places in the Kathmandu Valley.

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Thursday has directed the concerned ministries and officials to manage spots in Shivapuri, Ichangu Narayan, Suryabinayak and Kharipati to quarantine the evacuees, according to PM’s Press Advisor Surya Thapa.

The prime minister has also directed the concerned ministries and bodies to remain alert and make necessary preparations in the wake of the global spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has already killed 563 people–one each in Hong Kong and the Philippines and the rest in China, and infected more than 28,200 people globally.

Most of the deaths have been reported in Hubei and its capital Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, which remains in lock-down since mid-January, as Nepal government prepares to evacuate 180 Nepalis living in various six cities of the locked-down province through a special chartered flight.

They had come to contact with the Embassy of Nepal in China after the latter issued a public notice urging all living in Hubei to fill the form for evacuation.

But, due to the delay in selecting quarantine spots, it will take at least one week to bring them to Kathmandu, according to Thapa.

“A committee led by Chief Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi has been assigned to prepare a report regarding finding of spot and the management of the evacuees within a week,” he said.