TEST AND ISOLATE: Two migrant workers who recently arrived in Kailali from India were tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. They were asked to isolate at home because they were asymptomatic. As cases increase, the local hospitals are unable to house all positive cases in isolation wards. Seti Hospital in Kailali has only 50 beds, […]

Every year the community in Patan comes together to build the chariot for an ancient spring festival honouring Buṅga Dyaḥ (Rato Machhindranath), the deity of rain. It is one of the biggest events that last for weeks as the chariot is pulled throughout Lalitpur. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown and concerns over coronavirus infection, it […]

Bigun Majhi, 24, and Paltan Majhi, 32 of Bindabasini, Birjung, wake up early in the morning, pack a small bag of essentials and head out to the local Tilawe River. Until just a couple of months ago, Bigun and Paltan were working in India, across the border, as migrant workers and sending money home. When […]

Krishna Rai, 33, of Mechinagar, Jhapa, eastern Nepal, did not want to go to a government quarantine centre when he returned to Nepal from India last week. “Social media was full of information about how mass quarantine could become infection centres,” says Rai, “I had stayed safe so far, I didn’t want to get infected […]

In early June, a 55-year-old woman died while undergoing kidney dialysis at the Seri Zonal Hospital. When she was admitted to the hospital, she was given the rapid diagnostic test (RDT), where she tested negative for the COVID-19 virus. Hospital did not have a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test facility. All samples were going to […]

Rabindra Kathayat, 22, arrived home in Jumla, mid-west Nepal, after a long and exhausting journey from Pakistan. He thought he would have to go through rigorous testing on arrival and spend 14 more days in quarantine away from their families. When he arrived at his village, Kathayat was met by his local representatives and told […]

A local in Birgunj went to the Narayani Hospital in the city to get tested for the COVID-19 last week. He was given the rapid test (RDT) and was relieved to be tested negative. A few days later, he got tested again and was shocked to be tested positive for the virus. The only difference […]

Over 7,000 Nepalis stranded in Naxalbari, Bagdogra, Siliguri and other cities of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown are slowly making their way home. As they arrive, they go through the camps set up by the Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force where the first round of screening is done. There are seven […]

For women only: When a 19-year-old migrant worker returned to Nepal from Qatar last week, she was in a total state of panic. She was stressed about traveling during the pandemic and was anxious to get home. She understood that she will have to be in quarantine for 14 days, and was concerned about her […]

For the last 11 years, Tek Bahadur Rokaya, 62, worked as a cook at a hotel in Jumla, far west Nepal. Originally from Nepalganj in the south, he was making ends meet to support his family. Three months ago, when Nepal went into lockdown to contain the COVID-19 virus, the hotel decided to close and […]