KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 18

Health authorities today diagnosed an additional 2,942 cases of coronavirus infection across Nepal, including 1,698 in Kathmandu valley. With the recent additions, Nepal’s COVID caseload has reached 132,246, including 39,341 active cases, 92,166 recoveries and 739 deaths. As many as 21,093 active COVID cases are in Kathmandu valley alone.

Of those testing positive for the respiratory contagion in the valley today, 1,469 are from Kathmandu, 130 from Lalitpur and 99 from Bhaktapur. With the recent additions, the valley’s virus caseload has reached 55,384.

As per the health ministry’s data, 44,775 people have contracted COVID in Kathmandu, 6,220 in Lalitpur and 4,389 in Bhaktapur.

Of the others testing positive for the disease today, 192 are from Rupandehi, 149 from Chitwan, 138 from Morang, 110 from Surkhet, 72 from Jhapa, 56 from Kailali, 55 from Nawalparasi (East), 43 from Makawanpur, 41 from Banke, 31 from Kaski, 30 each from Syangja and Kapilvastu, 29 from Nawalparasi (West), 26 from Gorkha, 20 from Palpa, 19 from Tanahun, 15 from Salyan, 14 from Udayapur, 12 from Sunsari, 10 each from Bardiya, Dailekh and Bara, nine each from Ilam, Nuwakot and Doti, eight each from Sankhuwasabha and Parsa, six each from Khotang and Dang, five each from Dhading, Baglung and Kanchanpur, four each from Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap, Lamjung, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Kalikot, Dadeldhura and Rautahat, three each from Sarlahi, Siraha, Humla and Baitadi, two each from Myagdi, Rukum (West), Darchula and Tehrathum and one each from Okhaldhunga, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Saptari, Dolakha, Sindhuli, Pyuthan, Jumla, Achham and Bajhang.

“Morang, Sunsari, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Makawanpur, Kaski, Dang, Rupandehi, Surkhet and Banke have over 500 active COVID cases each, while Mustang has no active case of coronavirus infection,” said Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population.

As per the health ministry, 12,933 of the active cases are in institutional isolation and 26,408 in home isolation.

Meanwhile, 2,326 COVID patients have recovered from the disease in the past 24 hours. So far, 69.7 per cent of COVID patients have recovered in Nepal.

According to the health ministry, 7,934 COVID patients have recovered in Province 1, 15,570 in Province 2, 40,244 in Bagmati Province, 4,787 in Gandaki Province, 11,876 in Lumbini Province, 3,868 in Karnali Province and 7,887 in Sudurpaschim Province.

According to the health ministry, 301 COVID patients are in intensive care -- 35 in Province 1, 12 in Province 2, 166 in Bagmati Province, 20 in Gandaki Province, 55 in Lumbini Province, seven in Karnali Province and six in Sudurpaschim Province. As many as 66 COVID patients are on ventilator support -- 11 in Province 1, 46 in Bagmati Province, four in Gandaki Province, two in Lumbini Province and three in Sudurpaschim Province.

As many as 12 COVID patients succumbed to the disease in the past 24 hours. With the recent additions, the coronavirus death toll in the country has reached 739. According to the health ministry, Nepal’s case fatality rate is 0.6 per cent.