Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) Dr Bikash Devkota said that 29,567 tests to scout the patients of coronavirus infection have been carried out until Sunday of which 2,167 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.

Of total, 8,081 laboratory tests conducted (through Polymerase Chain Reaction method) and 21,486 cases through Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) — to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood sample. The anti-body tests have been run across the country now.

In the regular press briefing of the MoHP Dr. Devkota said that there are 5,180 people under quarantine in various facilities across the country while 103 are under isolation. Among those isolated, five are in Kathmandu valley while the remaining 98 are outside.

Six new persons have been added to the red-zone list in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of those in the red zone to 260. The contact tracing of these persons is underway, said Spokesperson Devkota.

The Ministry today officially announced that equipment to run PCR testing has been installed at Bheri hospital where currently eight swab samples are being tested. With this addition, there are 15 PCR equipments across the country.

Ministry notified that the samples which will test positive on PCR testing at the Bheri hospital and the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences will lead to direct confirmation without further referral.

According to Dr.Devkota, 69 samples from those likely to have contracted infection have been collected new hotspot Udaypur district,. Moreover, the case investigation and contact tracing of the earlier infected in the district is underway, added Dr Devkota. The government aims to collect around 250 samples from the area.

In one of today’s major developments, a 21-year-old patient receiving treatment at the Seti provincial Hospital is about to be discharged (now discharged) after testing negative for COVID-19 in two consecutive tests.

Including this case, four patients have recovered from the contagion as of today, giving a hint of hope while the number of infections in Nepal is on the rise.

Dr Devkota, speaking on behalf of the ministry, also appealed the public to neglect hatred towards any of the COVID-19 patients while urging to adopt necessary precautionary measures to curb the infection.