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Nepal has documented the first suspected case of monkeypox.

A 24-year-old man, who had come to Nepal via Dubai, has been admitted to the Teku-based Shukraraj Tropical Infectious Disease Hospital after he was found suffering from the symptoms of monekypox.

During a test at the health desk of the Tribhuvan International Airport, he was found suffering the symptoms like that of monekypox and sent to the Teku Hospital.

According to an official at the hospital, he has been suffering from a fever for the past few days.

At a time when the country’s capital city is grappling with its garbage problem, Dhankuta Municipality is doing exemplary work in waste management. 

Dhankuta is spick and span, thanks to the efficient organization and staff involved in garbage collection and its disposal. But this is only half the story. The town is generating income from its trash. 

The municipality operates a landfill at Salleri, where the town’s wastes are segregated into organic and inorganic matters. The organic waste materials are composted and the inorganic ones (plastics, rubber, glass, metals, etc.) are sold at a scrap value of Rs 12 per kilogram. 

“We have tied up with a private company to sell the segregated inorganic waste materials,” says Upendra Khanal at the environment department of the municipal office. 

Income generated from the trash is invested in development works. Dhankuta generates six tons of garbage daily. There are 39 municipal and contract workers who go from door to door to collect household waste. The collected waste materials are then transported to the landfill by three tractors and one truck. The operation runs like clockwork. 

The garbage collection and landfill itself is a sight to behold. The place looks more like a park than a landfill. The municipality has grown plants and flowers on the land where it buries the town’s organic waste materials. 

“The idea behind growing plants and flowers on top of buried garbage is to reduce methane emissions, which can be harmful to humans and the environment,” says Dhankuta Mayor Chintan Tamang. Dhankuta residents are also important contributors to the town’s waste management success story. 

Ram Bahadur Thapa, chief administrative officer of Dhankuta Municipality, says the town wouldn’t be a clean city if not for the role of the local residents. “All this wouldn’t have worked as well had it not been for the support of the local residents,” he says. “They are helping us keep Dhankuta clean by not disposing of their trash out in the streets and neighborhoods.” The town’s households have adopted a strict rule against littering their communities. 

No matter the quantity of waste accumulated in their house, they make it a point of waiting for the municipal workers to come pick it up. “Our streets and neighborhoods would be full of garbage piles if the local residents didn’t wait for the municipal workers,” says Thapa.

Khem Ghimire, a local resident, says it takes environmentally aware and conscious citizens to keep any town or city clean.“People here are civilized enough to throw their trash in wastebaskets even when they are outside their homes,” he says. Cities like Kathmandu can learn from Dhankuta.

India has reported more than 12,213 fresh covid cases in the last 24 hours, , registering a 38.4% jump in daily cases, Mint reported.

The total tally of active caseload rose to over 58,215 the union health ministry said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the country had reported 8,822 new covid cases across the country.

The death toll has climbed to 5,24,803 with 11 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated.

In view of rising covid cases across the nation, Rajesh Bhushan, union health secretary had directed five states--Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Maharashtra --to continue monitoring spread of infection and undertake required steps for prompt and effective management of Covid-19, as these states are reporting increase in covid-19 cases.

A person died when a mini-truck fell off the bridge over the Ruwakhola in Abukhaireni Rural Municipality-4 of Tanahun district on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Ram Bahadur Dame (47) of Manpang, Myade Rural Municipality-6, Tanahun, DSP Yuvaraj Khadka of the District Police Office, Tanahun said.

The incident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle (Ga 1 Ka 4469) and fell 20 meters down the road this morning, police said. The truck was heading towards Abukhaireni from Muglin when the tragedy took place.

Critically injured in the incident, Dame breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the Purano Medical College, Chitwan at around 6 am.

Police said that they are looking into the case.