By Ajita Rijal

Kathmandu, Mar. 31: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) Monday said that the test of some individuals who had come into contact with the COVID-19 infected people had come negative.
Speaking at a regular media briefing on Monday, spokesperson at the MoHP Dr Bikash Devkota said, “Those relatives and friends of the four virus-infected persons, who contacted us were tested and all were found negative.”
Dr Devkota said that the contact tracing of people who came in contact with the COVID-19 cases was going on in full swing. “We are tracing all those who met and came in contact with those infected people before and after reaching home,” said Dr Devkota.
Dr Devkota said that the returnees were in isolation under the observation of local level authorities. The local levels are keeping an active surveillance of the returnees, he added.
The government has deployed teams for contact tracing of all those returnees from the COVID-19 infected countries. The four virus-infected people have travelled from France, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates.
According to the ministry, 993 suspected coronavirus cases were tested as of Monday. Of the total tested cases, five were found positive, of which one has already recovered.
Among the 73 suspected cases tested from Sunday to Monday afternoon, not any case was found positive, said Dr Devkota. The specimen test of 76 people was going on Monday.
On the occasion, Dr Devkota informed that seven suspected coronavirus patients were receiving treatment at isolation wards of different hospitals. And 93 virus suspected are in isolation wards at various hospitals in all the states.
Among the suspected patients, three are in Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital Teku, and four in Patan Hospital.
Stating that the ministry was expanding the lab test facilities, Dr Devkota said that BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan had examined the samples of 19 suspected cases of coronavirus from Sunday. “Sample test of six suspected people is going on in Dharan today,” said Dr Devkota. In order to expand the lab facilities to all the seven states, the preparation of required manpower and reagents is going on. “We are ready to move all those machines and equipment received from China after their installation and test.”
All deaths not caused by COVID-19
On the occasion, Dr Khem Karki, health advisor at the MoHP, said that not everyone who died in the hospitals recently was COVI -19 patient. Dr Karki urged one and all to not spread rumours by circulating fake news, which leads to panic in public.
“We are at the first phase of the coronavirus transmission and it has not spread among the locals and community. So every death is not related to COVID-19,” said Dr Karki. The main thing we need to do is keeping intense surveillance of the returnees from the virus-affected countries and ask them to remain in self-quarantine, Dr Karki added. “No one needs to panic and insult the returnees,” said Dr Karki, adding those returnees should help all by staying at self-quarantine.
“If every citizen plays their responsible role, we can easily fight against coronavirus,” said Dr Karki.
Experts have also suggested disseminating only World Health Organisation verified information about COVID-19.