Govt urges health workers to use PPE kits properly

The government has urged doctors and health workers to make proper use of personal protective equipment kits. The directive was issued in view of the limited number of PPE kits available, said Dr Bikash Devkota, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, at a regular press conference organised on Saturday.

The scope of swab testing and quarantine period would be increased as more virus infection cases have been detected, he said. Three infection cases (two in Kailali and one in Kachanpur) have been spotted on Saturday alone.

One of the infected cases in Kailali is found to be a member of a family who is earlier infected with the virus, he said. "Other details of the infected woman are yet to be known." All the three infected are receiving treatment at Sudurpaschim Zonal Hospital.

So far, swabs of 1,441 suspected people have been tested and of them, 15 have been quarantined in Kathmandu and 54 outside the Kathmandu Valley, he said.

Similarly on Saturday alone, 3,465 people made telephone inquiries about the COVID-19 at the two hotline numbers set up by the Ministry, he said. Of 6,527 suspected people who filled out forms through the Ministry’s website and mobile apps, 126 have been put in red zone.