People's unnecessary travel taking place raising risk of virus spread

Kathmandu - Despite human mobility and other activities except for emergency cases are restricted to stop the spread of coronavirus, the implementation part of it is reported very poor. People’s activities and mobility taking place in the name of emergency have had serious blow on the government move to combat the coronavirus infection. According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD), Kathmandu, people are found violating security protocol and government order. People were found travelling unnecessarily in different districts across the country.

Some people are travelling even without using face mask, Division Chief Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhim Prasad Dhakal said. He shared that unhindered mobility would be further restricted since that has upped the level of risk adding that facilitation is being done for the essential jobs. The police personnel have been mobilized for the surveillance of the walkers and so far 2,014 individuals have been booked for carrying out such activities, SSP Dhakal shared. Dhakal was of the view that people were travelling by making fake identity cards and are speaking a lie while justifying their travel.

According to MTPD, a total of 7,163 vehicles were held and kept in hold in the Kathmandu Valley during a week long prohibitory order. Among the vehicles held by the police, 80 per cent were two-wheeler. Likewise, 1,102 persons violating the prohibitory order on the pretext of emergency were also booked during the period. Temporary police post has been set up in 45 places of the Kathmandu Valley to prevent people from flouting the prohibitory order. Police has urged one and all not to step outdoor unless emergency at the time of health crisis like this. Unnecessary wandering could abet transmission of the deadly infection.

Prohibitory order has been issued in all three districts in the Kathmandu Valley-Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur - until September 2. CDO of Kathmandu Janakraj Dahal has also appealed one and all for their cooperation to help prevent and control the pandemic by staying indoor and adhering health safety measures. The COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the country lately. Around 200-300 new cases of COVID-19 were reported every day in the Kathmandu Valley. Since the first COVID-19 case that was reported in Nepal on January 23, the COVID-19 caseload has reached 34,418 as of August 26.

Among them the number of actively infected ones stands at 14,739. A total of 175 deaths have been recorded from this deadly infection as of August 27. Altogether 19,504 COVID-19 persons were fully recovered and discharged from hospital. Ministry of Health and Population has been urging one and all to maintain social distancing, wear safety gears such as facial masks and gloves and wash hands properly with soap to remain safe from the COVID-19.