By Deepak Prasad Gautam, Birgunj, Aug. 16: As many as 45 persons including a journalist have tested positive for COVID-19 in Parsa District in the last 24 hours.

"In Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test report which came out late on Saturday evening, 45 people of Parsa and two of Bara were found with the SARS-CoV-2 infection," said Dr. Madan Upadhyaya, medical superintendent of Narayani Hospital.

The new COVID-19 infected people belong to an age group from eight to 70 years and of the 47 total infected, 37 are males and 10 are females.

The virus infection was detected in 13 persons of Birgunj Metropolitan City (BMC), seven officials of Narayani Hospital, six workers of Prime Pharma Industry, two persons receiving treatment in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Narayani Hospital, a journalist, three workers of Vayodha Hospital, 12 persons of Pokhariya Municipality and a male of Bahadurmai Municipality.

Likewise, a 40-year-old male of Magadhimai Municipality-4 and a 60-year-old male of Kalaiya Municipality-1 of Bara district were also found with the virus infection.
With the 45 newly identified COVID-19 infected, the Parsa district's caseload has reached 1,234, informed the District Health Office, Parsa.

Meanwhile, 70 virus patients receiving treatment in various health facilities of Birgunj were discharged in the last two days after recovering from the virus infection.

Dr. Udaya Narayan Singh, coordinator of Gandak Temporary COVID-19 Hospital said, "As many as 70 COVID-19 patients, 36 from Birgunj Health Care and 34 from Gandak Temporary COVID-19 Hospital, were discharged on Friday and Saturday after testing negative for the virus."

13 females and 57 males including a journalist, a central member of Nepali Congress, chief of Birgunj Prison and ward chair of BMC-4 were discharged after beating the virus.

Until now, Parsa has recorded 307 cases of recovery.