Kathmandu, May 24

Nineteen new cases of the novel coronavirus infection were diagnosed today, taking the national count for COVID-19 to 603.

All of those detected with the respiratory syndrome today are men, including six from Rupandehi, three each from Kapilvastu and Parsa, and one each from Kathmandu, Gulmi, Bara, Rautahat, Nuwakot, Sarlahi and Morang districts.

Six men who have contracted the virus in Rupandehi are aged between 23 and 50. They hail from Gaidahawa, Samarimai and Ward 1 of Rupandehi.  Those testing positive in Kapilvastu are men aged 35, 37 and 52 years. They are residents of Ward 3 of the municipality.

Three men aged 25, 34 and 60 years have been diagnosed with the respiratory disease in Parsa district.

A 69-year-old from Sohrakhutte, Kathmandu, a man, 32, from Kalaiya in Bara, another 32-year-old man from Rautahat, a man, 48, from Ward 6, Haripur in Sarlahi, a man aged 45 from Ward 3, Baradashi in Morang, a 31-year-old from Gulmi and 39-year-old from Kakani in Nuwakot have also tested positive for the virus.

With detection of COVID-19 in Nuwakot district, the contagion has spread to 41 districts of Nepal.  “All those testing positive today are asymptomatic and in contact with health workers,” said Bikash Devkota, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population in daily media briefing today.  The samples that tested positive today were screened for the virus in the Kathmandu-based National Public Health Laboratory, Provincial Public Health Laboratory in Biratnagar and Provincial Health Laboratory in Bhairahawa.

The COVID-positive cases in Nepal include 524 males and 79 females.

Meanwhile, seven persons from Narayani Hospital and 10 from Corona Special Hospital in Butwal were discharged today. With this the number of persons who have recovered from the respiratory contagion in Nepal has reached 87.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 25, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.