By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 21: The COVID-19 infection rate through RT-PCR tests declined to 6.9 per cent on Sunday. The infection rate has declined by 4.5 per cent this week in comparison to last week.
Speaking at a media briefing, Dr. Sangita Mishra, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) informed that the average daily infection rate of COVID-19 has been 6.4 per cent, as of Sunday.

According to Dr. Mishra, among 9,815 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, 6,571 were RT-PCR tests and 3,243 were antigen tests.
The MoHP on Sunday recorded 262 new cases of COVID-19. Of them, 229 were detected through PCR tests and 33 through antigen tests.
According to the MoHP, the Kathmandu Valley recorded 93 new infections over that period. Of these, 80 cases were confirmed in Kathmandu, one in Bhaktapur and 12 in Lalitpur. Meanwhile, 6,359 COVID-19 patients recovered from the infection during that period.

In the last 24 hours, 28 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Province 1; 19 in Madhes Province, 24 in Bagmati Province, 14 in Gandaki Province and six in Lumbini Province, 21 in Karnali Province and nine in Sudurpaschim Province.

The country also reported four deaths related to the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 11,921, said Dr. Mishra.
The active caseload has declined to 12,244 on Sunday. Of the active cases, 490 patients are admitted to various health facilities while remaining 11,754 are in home isolation, informed Dr. Mishra.
Similarly, 136 individuals infected with the virus were being treated in intensive care units across the country. Similarly, another 14 patients were receiving treatment with ventilator support, informed Dr. Mishra.

On the occasion, Dr. Mishra requested all to receive vaccine against COVID-19 from any convenient vaccination centre.
According to Dr. Mishra, of the total population, 18,349,628 people received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 17,664,516 received their full dose and 867,845 have received additional doses as of Sunday.

The MoHP has administered 36,881,989 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 so far.