The government has increased scope of swab collection and testing of suspected people to prevent and control COVID-19. Mobility at Nepal’s southern borders with India has been tightened and testing through rapid diagnostic test kits has been increased in almost all districts, according to Dr Bikash Devkota, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population.

Speaking at the regular press conference organised on Saturday by the Ministry, he said Bir Hospital has also started testing for the infection on Saturday and Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku would follow suit on Sunday.

No new infection case has been found since the past few days. Of the nine infected people detected so far, eight are receiving treatment (four at Seti Zonal Hospital, two at Teku Hospital and two at Baglung Hospital).

So far, 4,426 suspected people have been tested for the virus with 897 in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry. Of them, swabs of 3,392 were tested at the National Public Health Laboratory with 609 in the past 24 hours. Likewise of them, swabs of 742 were collected from outside the Kathmandu Valley with 288 in the 24 hours.

So far, 8,082 suspected people have been quarantined across the country. Of 82 kept in isolation across the country, 15 are inside the Valley and 67 outside. Three thousand and forty have raised their concerns about the infection in the past 24 hours through toll free numbers, 1133 and 1115 set up by the Ministry.