Seven Killed In Delhi Violence Following the harsh criticism from media and expert, Ministry of Population and Health said that that ministry is stepping up its vigilance over the passengers coming from China, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.
A source close to Ministry said that the record of all the passengers from those countries will be kept and other passengers are asked their previous travel history.
Although Nepal has already spent Rs. 180 million for the preparation against new coronavirus, Nepal is yet to fully equip Tribhuwan International Airport Health Desk. According to Deshsanchar, the large sum of allocated budgets spent to take care airlifting Nepali from Wuhan and their 15 days quarantine.
As there is lack of budget, Ministry of Health and Population is yet to provide adequate budget to establish and improve the health desk bordering with China. Due to lack of equipment and manpower, all the borders post with China including two major commercial border points Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi are yet to open.
Despite the claim the government has shown apathy to equip health desk at Tribhuwan International Airport,
The Himalayan Times report quoting a Nepali, who arrived in Kathmandu from Singapore last night, that all the passengers passed through the immigration area of Tribhuvan International Airport just like in the days before coronavirus outbreak was reported. “Nobody asked me about my travel history or checked my body temperature,” he said on condition of anonymity.
At a time when most of the airports across the world take body temperature of passengers and ask them to fill out a form mentioning travel history and any sign of illness, Nepal has just started.
Ministry Nepal too says it monitors travelers from China, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia to prevent the novel coronavirus from entering the country
“There is a thermal scanner at the airport to check body temperature of passengers. Passengers are tested individually only if thermal scanner detects high body temperature,” said Dr Bibek Kumar Lal, director at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.
Health experts have been saying that surveillance should be enhanced at airports as the number of coronavirus cases is rising globally.