By Arjun Kafle, Syangja, Mar. 31: At this terrible time of COVID-19 pandemic, it is usual for a person or a group of persons who have returned home from abroad to stay separately or be in quarantine for a certain period so as to avoid transmitting virus to others if they have unknowingly carried it with them.

But, an entire Karki Danda village in Biruwa Rural Municipality-1 in Syangja district has been kept in quarantine.

And this has happened just because of two youths who landed in Kathmandu from abroad on March 19, and moved around the village visiting relatives on March 22 and on 28 March, they participated in funeral procession along with the villagers on the same bus after a neighbour passed away at Manipal Hospital in Pokhara.

Now, whole of the Karki Danda village, 143 people of 28 households, has been kept in quarantine, as per the order of the ward office of the Biruwa Rural Municipality.

"It is an effort to save the entire village. We took decision holding a discussion a day after the youths and villagers participated together in the funeral procession. They are in a 14-day quarantine starting from March 30," said Thakur Prasad Wage, ward member.

He said that they have quarantined themselves at their own houses. The ward and the Rural Municipality would help them if they face any problems, Wagle pledged.

The youths and those who came in contact with them were quarantined as the government directed that all overseas-returnees should be kept in quarantine. The village was under constant monitoring of health workers, people's representatives and the police for the 14 day quarantine period, Wagle said.

It is the first time here that an entire village has been kept in quarantine although about 500 overseas-returnees have been kept in quarantine in different local levels in the district.

Tara Karki, local social worker, said that those in quarantine had done no more works than cutting grass, arranging fodder for the cattle and that all rules were  strictly followed by everyone.

"Prevention is better than cure, we have followed this rule although to be in quarantine is difficult for the children and the elderly," Karki added.