By Dipak Prasad Gautam, Birgunj, Aug. 11: Additional 70 persons including 21 women have been found infected with SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 in Parsa district, according to the report of the PCR test carried out in the Narayani Hospital laboratory made public late on Monday evening and today, Tuesday, morning.  

Jaymod Thakur, health inspector at Parsa District Health Office, informed The Rising Nepal that 55 persons were confirmed to have been infected with the virus in the report received on Monday evening while positive report of the 15 persons was received this morning.

Of the 70 newly infected, 65 are from Parsa while remaining five are from Bara but presently living in Parsa.

Of them, 49 persons that include doctors, health workers, hospital staff, police, detainees and general public were detected through contact tracing while the remaining 21 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 were from the people who opted for paid PCR testing as they had fever, cold and cough and diarrhea and suspected themselves of having contracted the virus.

Two doctors and a health worker of National Medical College, four hospital employees of Bhawani Hospital, Birgunj, a health worker of Dhobini Rural Municipality of Parsa, two males aged 33 and 45, one from Birgunj Metropolis-3 and the other from Nakatuwa, Bara, both working in the OPD of Narayani Hospital are among the newly infected persons, according to Thakur.

Similarly, a 23 year male working at pediatric ward and  35 year female living in the quarter of the hospital have also tested positive for COVID-19.

Three detainees and four police personnel of Ward Police Office at Birta, BMC, are also among the 70 newly confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manojit Kunwar, spokesperson of Parsa District Police Office, said that until now 32 police officials deputed in the district office have tested positive for COVID-19. Infection was seen in police personnel deployed in the crowded place for security in addition to quarantine facilities.

With the 70 new cases, number of COVID-19 cases in Parsa district has reached 1,110.