191 journalists tested for COVID-19 in Kathmandu Valley

19 May Kathmandu : Altogether 191 journalists working in various media outlets across the Kathmandu Valley were tested for COVID-19 today.

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Federation of Nepalis Journalists and Press Council Nepal coordinated the effort for the test among those journalists exposed to outdoor activities in line of their duties amid the ongoing lockdown.

The test was conducted at Sanchargram at Singamangal through PCR procedure. The Epidemiology and Diseases Control Division under the MoHP collected nasal and throat swab of the media persons for the same.

Apart from the media persons, the office-bearers of the Press Council Nepal were also tested for the infection. FNJ general-secretary Ramesh Bista shared that those media persons who were working in the forefront during this pandemic were tested in the initial stage.

Later, as Bista put it, test of others would be conducted as per the need and demand. Madhav Prasad Tiwari, the Press advisor of the Minister for Health and Population said that the test on COVID-19 were conducted through the umbrella organization of journalists in the country.

Medical Lab Association of Nepal’s President Rajendra Khadka said the human resources working in the lab for conducting COVID-19 were very prone to the infection. Therefore, Khadka said, their safety should be ensured.