RATNANAGAR: The COVID-19 testing laboratory in Chitwan has stopped operations for over a week due to the shortage of test-kits.

According to lab chief Dr Nitu Adhikari, requisition to procure 1,200 kits have been made with the Ministry of Health and Population. "Lab operations have been affected due to the shortage. The nasal and throat swabs collected from the patients symptomatic of transmission lately have been sent outside the district for testing." Due to the shortage of test-kits for COVID-19 all over Nepal, the Ministry has not been able to fulfil our requirement,” explained Dr Adhikari.

Keeping in mind that it has only been a month since the lab was established, we have only received a total of 483 kits which only lasted for a few days, Dr Adhikari added.

A total of 12 nasal and throat swabs were collected from the people showing symptoms of coronavirus infection in Chitwan on Monday which were sent to Hetauda. The results for the speciment had come negative, said Leeladhar Poudel, information officer at Bharatpur Hospital.