Kathmandu, Oct 3 : With festivals knocking the door, the risk of coronavirus infection spreading to the villages from the urban centre is very high. All the urban centers have reported rise in infection with increased crowd in the market centres for festival-related shopping.    

Considering the risk, the Ministry of Health and Population has urged people not to return to villages from the urban centres for the upcoming festivals.

Anyone who has to go, have been suggested to quarantine themselves for at least 14 days.  

  
Likewise, the travellers have been asked to use mask, maintain social distancing and use hand sanitizer or soap and water.

The increased number of people leaving the cities for villages during the festival will put the elderly and the children at risk of infection, says COVID-19 focal person Mahendra Shrestha.

"This festival, we should stay where we are, we can observe the festival next year without any risk," he added.    
MoHP Spokesperson Dr Jageswar Gautam has requested all to maintain at least two meters distance with the elderly persons and always use mask when coming in close contact with others.    

Meanwhile, Spokesperson of the Metropolitan Traffic Division and SP Rameswar Prasad Yadav said as many people had already left for their home towns there were few people left to return home for the festivals.

Presently, around 21,000 people are leaving the capital every day for their home towns.  

  
Since September 17, a total of 315,000 people have left Kathmandu for their home towns, said SP Yadav.