KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Health Ministry, in its regular press briefing, shared the latest updates on coronavirus contagion from across the country, and government’s response to the health crisis.

A screenshot of COVID-19 media briefing, taken on Friday, July 31, 2020.

As of today, 375,416 tests through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method have been carried out, wherein 10,768 PCR tests were carried out in the last 24 hours.

At present, there are 12,111 people under quarantine in various facilities across the country while 5,316 people are in isolation, receiving treatment.

224 new cases of coronavirus infection were reported today taking the national tally to 19,771.

As many as 151 persons earlier diagnosed with the disease, admitted in various healthcare facilities, have been discharged following recovery, stated the Ministry. With the recent additions, the national COVID-19 recovery tally has now reached 14,399.

In a sad turn of events four more people have succumbed to the coronavirus infection, taking Nepal’s death-toll from the disease to 56.

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Ministry Spokesperson Dr Jageshwar Gautam informed that specimens for COVID-19 testing are being collected at the entry points into Kathmandu. In an attempt to collect swab samples in excess of 10,000 as many as 10,205 swab samples have been collected at Pharping, Nagdhunga, and Sangha entry points, in total. Dr Gautam further added that the test samples of at least 25 persons entering Kathmandu have come out positive, 24 of had been  confirmed on Thursday while one test result tested positive today. It has also been learnt that 3, 713 samples have been tested assembled at the aforementioned entry points.

As of today, the country has witnessed 19,771 cases of the coronavirus infection while 14,399 people have been discharged from hospitals. Meanwhile, fifty-six COVID-19 fatalities have been confirmed.