Surgical masks run out in medicals

Surkhet, March 6 : Surgical masks are not being available to buy in medicals and pharmacies in Birendranagar – the headquarters of the Karnali State.

The shortage has surfaced when the local suppliers have supplied their stock of surgical masks to Kathmandu on higher prices in view of possible outbreak of coronavirus in Nepal. Rana Bahadur Khadka, chair of Association of Pharmaceutical Association of Nepal Surkhet, shared that around 100 medical and surgical suppliers based in Surkhet do have no stock of surgical masks.

“Even the dealers do not have masks. Our stock is also clear”, he said, adding, “They are trying their best to import masks within a month. However it is very hard to get”. Birendranagar now has seen the shortage of general masks as well, said Khadka Prasad Dhakal, Chair of Fancy Readymade and Goods Committee under Surkhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Meanwhile, a youth suffering from fever has been kept under doctors’ observation. He was said to have arrived Nepal from Japan via Korea. He then came to Surkhet from Kathmandu. He was found to have 100.5 degree Celsius fever while screening his health at Surkhet airport on Thursday morning.

He has been kept at Kalagaun-based state hospital under doctors’ monitoring. Hospital’s director Dr Dambar Khadka informed that the patient has been completely kept under doctors’ monitoring. “However, there is no need to keep him in isolation ward for now”, Dr Khadka said.