JAJARKOT: Four persons have been infected by the novel coronavirus in Jajarkot district. This is the first time the district has witnessed the infection.

The persons who tested positive for COVID-19 are all females aged 52, 33, 14 and six years, according to Officer at the Health Section of Bheri Municipality, Yagya Gautam, who reached the laboratory at Surkhet Provincial Hospital today.

Three of the infected are locals of Barekot Rural Municipality-1 while one of them has been identified as a police officer. With detection of the first four cases of the viral infection among locals, coronavirus transmission is expected to rise further.

Barekot Rural Municipality Mayor Mahendra Bahadur Shah expressed his view that all the security personnel stationed at various police offices and posts, and political leaders, will have to be quarantined.

The Social Development Ministry of Karnali Province, in coordination with the district's security chiefs and local levels, discussed about carrying out the contact tracing of the infected police officer.