UP district bordering Nepal prepares for COVID-19

A ten-bed isolation ward has been set up at the district hospital here in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Monday. The Union Home Ministry had on Sunday announced that all types of passenger movement would be suspended from March 15 midnight through the Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Myanmar borders, barring a few specified border checkposts.

Uttar Pradesh shares a 599.3 km long open border with Nepal touching seven districts - Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Sravasti, Balrampur, Sidhharthnagar and Maharajganj.

"An isolation ward containing ten beds has been set up in the district hospital in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Efforts are also on to sensitise the locals about the disease," Bahraich District Magistrate Shambhu Kumar said.

"The entry of nationals of other countries including Nepal into the district will be allowed only after proper screening,"

Foreign tourists will be allowed entry through the Rupiadeeh check post," he said. The entry of those showing symptoms similar to coronavirus will be allowed after proper medical examination, the official said. Kumar added no COVID-19 case has been reported in this district of Uttar Pradesh so far.