BHAIRAHAWA: Two additional cases of COVID-19  from Banke and Rupandehi districts in Province 5 have been detected, on Friday.

Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, assistant spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), confirmed that a 25-year-old male from Kothimai Rural Municipality-1 Rupandehi district and a 60-year-old male from Banke district have contracted the infection.

The 25-year-old male had entered Nepal from India on April 17, amid the Indo-Nepal border shutdown. Currently, the patient is admitted at the COVID-19 special hospital in Butwal.

Similarly, the patient from Banke is undergoing treatment at the Khajura-based COVID-19 Hospital, informed an official from the Social Development Ministry in Province 5.

The provincial government and Rural Municipalities at the local levels have begun case investigations and contact tracing of the individuals. Furthermore, the areas have been on high alert after declaraing them under the red zone for the COVID-19 transmission.

With these two additional cases, the COVID-19 tally of Nepal has peaked to 59; 16 of which are that of recovery.