By Our Correspondent, Bhairahawa, Apr.2: With rising COVID-19 cases in India, security has been beefed up at several Nepal-India border points, especially at the Bhairahawa-Sunauli (Belahiya) border point.

Special precautionary measures have been put in place there since Wednesday in an effort to contain the spread of not only the coronavirus but also malaria, a deadly disease.

The Competitive System Project for health, operated under USAID in collaboration with Siddharthanagar Municipality and Lumbini Province Ministry of Social Development, has set up a health desk equipped with a lab room at the border point.

“In addition to the coronavirus, we have started taking precautionary measures against malaria at the border,” said Rajneesh Chaudhary, Emergency Monitoring Officer under the project.

According to him, health desks manned by health professionals have been set up on both sides of the border as per need.

“We first measure the temperature of the cross-border travellers. If they show elevated temperature, they will be asked to rest for about half an hour before the temperature is re-measured,” informed Chaudhary, adding, “If fever persists, a blood sample is taken before sending it for an RDT test to detect the presence of the malaria-causing parasite.

Likewise, swabs will be collected from the individuals showing COVID-19 systems, following which their PCR tests are conducted. Those who test positive are then drove to the designated isolation centre or to nearby COVID hospital.” The help desk will continue to work until the risk of the pandemic abates, he added.