Kathmandu: Nepal has stopped the entry of people coming from India into the country after four Indian tourists tested positive for Covid-19 and were sent back, amid a sharp surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the Himalayan nation. The four Indian tourists had entered Nepal via the Jhulaghat border point in the Baitadi district in Western Nepal.
Bipin Lekhak, information officer at the health office in Baitadi said the four Indian nationals tested positive for Covid-19 and were told to return to their country. “We have also ramped up Covid-19 testing on Indians,” said Lekhak.
Many Nepali citizens who returned from India have tested positive for Covid-19, Lekhak informed. He added that the officials have halted the entry of Indian tourists into Nepal due to a spike in infections.
Baitadi district is at high risk as it shares a border with neighbouring India. Currently, there are 31 active cases of coronavirus in Baitadi where not even a single case had been reported until three weeks ago.
Nepal is currently witnessing a rapid increase in Covid-19 cases with 1,090 new infections recorded across the country Tuesday, according to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Population.
This is the highest single-day increase in the past six months. A total of 438 recoveries and two deaths from the virus were recorded on the day. There are currently 5,874 active cases of Covid-19 in Nepal.
