KATHMANDU: Jumla district in Karnali Province has been declared free of active cases of coronavirus infection after the last patient at Karnali Academy of Health Science (KAHS) was discharged on Sunday.

Chair of the Academy, Professor Dr Niraj Thapa was quoted in Rastriya Samachar Samiti as saying that the hard work of doctors and health workers of the health facility has resulted into this positive outcome. He added that people should still remain alert as this doesn’t mean the virus has disappeared.

COVID-19 focal person of the Academy, Prof Dr Dhiraj Gurung, shared that PCR tests were conducted on 20 people and with the negative result of the last remaining patient in isolation, the district has zero infections, as of today.

Likewise, Administrative Officer of KAHS, Amrit Bhandari was quoted as saying that after installation of the PCR machine (prior to which it had been depending on National Public Health Laboratory in Kathmandu to conduct the tests), the Academy has been focusing on its operation and tests, for which it has been collecting swabs with high priority.

The health workers have been appreciated for helping not only in the district but also in other places such as Humla, Mugu, Dailekh, Kalikot, among others.

On Sunday, after the district was declared with any active cases of infection, the health workers were honoured virtually as not everyone was present at that moment. District Administrative Office, in coordination with KAHS, had honoured health workers – of KAHS and Public Health Service Office -- who helped fight the virus.

Chief District Officer Om Prakash Devkota shared that a total of 69 persons have recovered from the disease.