Bajhang, June 19 -- Last week, a 72-year-old man from Jalim in Bittahdchir Rural Municipality, Bajhang was bedridden due to fever and cough. Health workers from Deulek Primary Health Centre were called in for his treatment.

Jayaraj Awasthi, a health worker at the Primary Health Centre, went to the patient's house carrying medicines and antigen test kits. "The patient had shown all the symptoms of Covid-19. But his son did not allow us to perform Covid-19 test on him," said Awasthi.

Most villagers in the rural municipality are refusing to undergo Covid-19 tests fearing the stigma associated with the disease. The villagers cannot afford to miss the paddy planting season, say health workers.

"The local people are busy irrigating their fie...