A 30-year-old male committed suicide in a quarantine center in Ward 7 of Chabis Pathibhera Rural Municipality of Bajhang on Monday.

The male committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of the quarantine center.

He was placed in the quarantine center since he returned from India on June 20.

His swab samples have been collected and sent to test for coronavirus.

Apex court stays COVID quarantine guideline

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court issued an interim order asking the government to conduct PCR tests before allowing people to leave quarantine centers, even if they are asymptomatic.

Section 6 of the National Testing Guidelines for COVID-19 allows people to leave quarantines after 14 days without undergoing PCR test if they are asymptomatic.

The provision states that if a person doesn’t test positive for the virus using RDT while being admitted to a quarantine centre and doesn’t show any symptom of COVID-19 after staying in quarantine for 14 days, s/he could be discharged if they test negative in RDT.

The petitioners argued that the provision was impractical as even WHO has stated that negative RDT is highly inaccurate.

stated that majority of the COVID-19 patients in the country are asymptomatic.

They said most COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic and many people had tested positive for the virus even if RDT showed no antibodies.

The Supreme Court, in its order, also stated that it was not impossible for the government to conduct PCT tests at quarantine centers.

It added that right to health care and right to dignified life are citizens’ fundamental rights stipulated in the constitution.