March 25: The sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India has worried the private sector of Nepal. The second wave of virus surging in India has caused fears of a similar spike in Nepal.

Given the last year’s experience of lockdown leading to economic fallout, the risk of second wave of pandemic has worried the private sector. Satish Kumar More, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said that the risk of second wave of pandemic has disturbed them at a time when the economy is about to recover from the impact of Covid-19.

The private sector is apprehensive that the risk of second wave might again affect the operation of the industries. More is of the view that the government shouldn’t immediately impose lockdown or other restrictions. It should instead focus on vaccination drive and make the economy running, he said.

Meanwhile, a sub-committee of the parliamentary Education and Health Committee has urged the government to prepare all necessary infrastructure to curb the second wave of coronavirus. Submitting a report, the committee has asked all the hospitals to prepare isolation units, oxygen plants and conduct Covid-19 awareness programs. It has also suggested the government to mobilize skilled health professionals in remote areas and fulfill the required human resources quota.

Similarly, the government authorities have started preparing to combat with the looming second wave as the cases of Covid-19 have started rising in the country. Preliminary plans of the government include crowd control, preparation of isolation and quarantine centers, increasing alerts along border points and possibility of lockdown if necessary.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has already sent notices to local administration to curb activities of huge number of gatherings. Similarly, isolation and quarantine centers are also on standby. Chakra Bahadur Budha, spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said that they are collecting data on isolation and quarantine centers from all across the country and putting them on standby.

According to Budha, the Ministry has asked the concerned authorities to keep record of people travelling across the border and conduct health checkup. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing strategies to fight against the possible second wave of coronavirus, Nepalis who had migrated to India for work have started returning home.

In a regular press briefing organized by the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Samir Adhikari, deputy-spokesperson at the ministry urged people to wear masks, not to conduct public gatherings and practice social distancing.

“The government doesn’t intend to impose a lockdown in the country again but we all should be aware to control the infection,” Adhikari said.

District Police Office, Kanchanpur informed that around 1,000 Nepalis are returning back daily through Trinagar and Gaddachowki border points of the district. Around 8,000 people have come back through these two entry points in the past ten days.

On March 24, 145 new infections have been reported from among 3,963 tests conducted in the country. Of the news cases, 63 have been recorded in the Kathmandu valley. So far, Nepal’s COVID infected tally stands at 276,389.