KATHMANDU, MAY 19

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has intensified tests in crowded areas as the number of COVID cases has been rising at an alarming level.

KMC and Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention had jointly initiated the bid to step up the antigen and PCR tests in order to contain the pandemic via identification of the status of infected persons.

According to KMC sources, of the 402 people tested through antigen procedure in Kalimati vegetable market yesterday, 12 were diagnosed with coronavirus infection. Tests were conducted at Tukucha vegetable market today.

The tests were initiated in the most vulnerable areas for transmission as identified by the Ministry of Health and COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre. A target has been set to perform such tests among 10,000 people.

KMC Health Division Chief Hari Kunwar said, 'Results drawn from the tests will be helpful to send symptomatic patients to hospitals and asymptomatic patients to home isolation for monitoring.'

As per the plan, the antigen tests will be stepped up in more populated areas such as Asan, Dillibazaar, New Road, Baluwatar and Koteshwor in collaboration with KMC. Likewise, it will be performed in Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square in partnership with the concerned local levels.

KMC has also intensified PCR testing in view of the surge in coronavirus infection. KMC is planning to collect swabs for PCR tests in 16 sites from Sunday.

Six-hundred people will be tested daily in 32 wards.

Of those testing for the contagion, 420 were found to be infected with coronavirus,' according to KMC Public Health Division. KMC has also made arrangement to take critical COVID patients to hospitals in ambulance. So far, there are 11,631 active coronavirus cases in KMC.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 20, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.