Seventeen persons from Ghorahi sub-metropolitan city of Dang who were sent home from quarantine before PCR reports arrived have tested positive for COVID-19.
Sixteen of 35 persons who were in quarantine in Chaughera in Ghorahi-17 were sent home on June 10 before reports arrived. Ward member Tul Prasad Ghimire told Setopati that 13 of them have tested positive.
The sixteen were sent home as their reports did not arrive even a week after sending swab. He revealed that the infected persons had returned home from India on May 20, 21 and 22. Twelve of the 13 infected persons are men and the other woman.
Ghimire said other four persons sent home from another quarantine facility in the same ward have also tested positive. He claimed that the 17 have been sent to isolation by Monday morning.
The Rapti Academy of Health Sciences that tested the samples has yet to reveal that the 17 have tested positive. "It has not been revealed outside. But we were informed Sunday evening itself and we searched for them and sent them to hospital," Ghimire added.
He accused ward chairman Khushiram Chaudary of unilaterally sending people home even before reports arrived. Chaudhary said he was in a meeting when contacted by Setopati but Shishir Acharya, a local, told Setopati that ward chairman had sent them home in accordance to instructions by the Health Ministry.
The ministry guidelines state that asymptomatic persons who have been in quarantine for more than 10 days can be sent home without PCR tests.
Acharya added that the locals have picketed the ward office on Monday after those sent home without waiting for report tested positive. "Ward chairman apologized for sending them home after 60-70 locals slammed him for the decision."
Acharya claimed that five of the 17 infected persons had slaughtered a goat and partied on Sunday while a few others have been seen boozing around in the village. "The locals are terrified suspecting that the infection has spread in the village."
