Around 2,000 Nepalese stranded near Indo-Nepal border return home

Around 2,000 Nepali migrant workers, who were stranded in various border towns in India due to the coronavirus lockdown, returned home on Thursday after a month.

Around 2,000 Nepalis had been living in quarantine in Jhulaghat, Dharchula and other towns in Pithoragarh of India along Nepal-India border following the enforcement of the lockdown, according to the National News Agency of Nepal.

According to local authorities, 837 Nepalis have entered the country through Jhulaghat transit point while 1,061 people came through Dharchula transit point.

Nepalis who are living in quarantine facilities in India and want to return home would be allowed to return, authorities said.

The returnees need to maintain social distance and their health would be examined upon arrival. They are also required to stay in quarantine for 14 days before subjecting them to rapid diagnostic test (RDT).

The total number of coronavirus cases in Nepal remained 57 for the past two days while 16 patients have been cured.

At present there are 41 active COVID-19 infected cases in the country. So far, PCR tests have been conducted on 12,011 people in Nepal to confirm COVID-10 infection, according to spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population.