Pardafas Reporter
At Least over 20 Nepali Army personnel who recently returned from the peacekeeping mission from South Sudan have contracted the coronavirus and possibly carried the omicron variant of the virus inside the country.
A group comprising slightly above Nepali Army personnel had returned home from the mission on 6 January. After their return the NA had undergone PCR test and were tested positive of it. The NA suspecting that the new contraction could be delta variant has given special priority about their isolation.
The Public Relations Directorate of the Nepal Army confirmed that above 20 NA personnel who returned from the mission had contracted the virus without giving the exact number.
NA Spokesperson Santosh Ballav Poudel told pardafas that above a 20 contracted from the COVID-19. He however stressed that those contracted are kept in carefully in high prioritized isolation centers to subdue the virus. "We have taken extra cares to treat the infected and control the virus from further spread as no serious problem is on sight now, Poudel said.
The Nepali Army has claimed of providing special priority to check, segregate and quarantine and isolate those who returned from abroad. The priority has been given following the chances of spread of omicron variant of the coronavirus. The NA also said that those contracted with the COVID-19 could be carrying the omicron variant.
“But we have taken extra careful measures to subdue the contraction or spread of the virus from the army,” Poudel said.
Those returned from abroad are required to go through a meticulous process and quarantine themselves for several days before going back to their family. "Our men are required to go and live in special quarantine facility inside our camps as soon as they land in the country. There they will undergo PCR test and if anyone is one found positive will be immediately sent to isolation, for those who are not tested positive shall also go to the mandatory quarantine" Poudel said.
At least nine NA personnel have lost their lives in the past two years due to the contraction from COVID-19. Similarly, at least 3,200 personnel had tested positive of the virus so far.
Nepal Army peacekeepers deputed in South Sudan are receiving applauds from all around for its successful initiatives to avoid inter-communal clash between two violent ethnic groups there. There the Nepali Army personnel are also often required to come into contact with the public which might have increased the COVID-19 among them.
