Kathmandu May 14

– A curfew order has been issued in Siraha district as precaution after the number of people infected by coronavirus started increasing daily in the neighbouring districts of State-2. The Siraha district which has not reported a single case of COVID-19 so far has been put under curfew after a surge in novel coronavirus cases in Saptari district to the east, in Dhanusha district to the west, in Udayapur district to the north and in India to the south.

The curfew has been imposed in the district from today. Chief District Officer, Saroj Prasad Guragain said that the curfew orders have been issued until further notice in view of the increasing risk of COVID-19 pandemic in the district with the surge in the number of infected people in State-2. He said the district administration took this step to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the district. The lockdown that was relaxed since some days back has been tightened since the morning today.

Orders have been issued to the police to turn back people and vehicles without permits coming from outside districts. They have been ordered to take into control and initiate legal action against those violating the lockdown. The District Administration Office has completely prohibited the operation of any vehicles except ambulances and vehicles carrying essential goods like food grain and foodstuff, milk, water, cooking gas, petroleum products, vegetables, medicines and the vehicles of emergency services as health, electricity, communications and banks.

Likewise, movement of people and vehicles to and from the neighbouring country India has been completely prohibited. The security in the district has been beefed up by sealing off the border transit points in the district. Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) personnel have been mobilised at the transit points to keep constant vigilance.