Shortage of coronavirus test kits in Humla

Kathmandu. Tests for coronavirus infection have been stalled in Humla district due to the shortage of test kits. The health workers have not been able to carry out the tests on people entering the district by road and by air for shortage of test kits.

Tests have been stalled in six out of the seven local levels in the district due to the shortage. It is said Adanchuli rural municipality in the southern belt of the district is carrying out the tests. Tests have been conducted on 21 people in this rural municipality.

Chief of the District Health Service Office, Prem Bahadur Singh, said they have run out of coronavirus test kits, leading to halt in testing. All kits the Karnali State government had made available to the district have been used. He said they have asked the State government for supply of more kits, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits.

Seven hundred seventy four people have entered the district by road and 480 people by air since April 30. They will all be kept in quarantine for 14 days.

But tests for coronavirus have to be carried out on them after that and the health workers here are worried how to do so in lack of the test kits.