Kathmandu May 18

– Seventeen more COVID-19 infection cases have been found today, taking the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus to 444 in the country, the Ministry of Health and Population said. Ministry’s assistant spokesperson Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari said the new cases were confirmed after tests for coronavirus conducted at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan and the Province Public Health Laboratory Biratnagar showed positive results.

Among the new cases found today, 15 are from Jhapa and one each from Dhankuta and Sunsari. According to Dr Adhikari, those testing positive from Jhapa are all male of Kachanakawal rural municipality ward no 3, 6 and 8. Two of them are 18 years old, two are 19 years old, two are 23 years old and two are 26 years old while one each is 18 years old, 25 years old, 28 years old, 30 years old, 32 years old, 37 years old and 46 years old.

Similarly, the infected person from Dhankuta is 34 years old male while the other infected person from Sunsari is a 51-year-old woman of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City. So far 45 people have returned home after recovery. The health condition of the new infected persons is said to be normal and they are under the observation of the health workers.