By Gokarna Dayal, Baitadi, June 15: Shivanath Rural Municipality in Baitadi district has called a meeting to search for 21 COVID-19 patients who went home after completing their stay in the quarantine for 14 days.

The local government called the meeting as the report of the swab came just today, 11 days after the swabs of those who had tested positive in the RDT were sent on June 4 to Dhangadhi for PCR test.

All those who have been confirmed as infected had returned from India on May 22 and were sent home as they completed designated period to stay in the quarantine. Those who tested positive in the RDT were asked to stay in isolation at home.

All 21 people confirmed as infected are the residents of four different wards- ward number 2, 3, 4 and 6- of the rural municipality.

According to District Health office of Baitadi, with the newly confirmed cases, number of COVID-19 patients in Baitadi district has reached 27.

Yogesh Prasad Bhatta, chief of the district health office, said that PCR report of 459 people sent for testing was yet to be received.

 "Report of the PCR test has been delayed. We have been sending swab of those who complete quarantine stay period and test positive for virus in RDT. Now, report has come after the rural municipality sent those who tested positive in RDT but did not show any symptoms for home isolation," said Bhatta.

Shivanath Rural Municipality is one that borders with India and is stretched to the Mahakali River.

3117 people are staying in quarantine set up in 10 different local levels of Baitadi as of June 15.