By Ajita Rijal

Kathmandu, Apr. 14: The Ministry of Health and Population has followed six-T strategy which includes Travel Restriction, Testing, Tracing, Tracking, Treatment and Together for the prevention and containment of COVID-19.
On Monday, in his New Year message, Minister for Health and Population Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal said that the six-T strategy which has proved to be effective in other countries as well.
“We have updated strategy to contain the coronavirus through the six-T formula to contain the virus,” said Minister Dhakal.
As part of the first approach, travel restriction, national and international restrictions have been put in place. Under the second approach of testing, the government has now expanded the testing capacity and started to carry out testing in all the seven states.
Likewise, the government is intensively carrying out tracing whereby all those who may have come in contact with the infected people are being traced and brought for testing. The government is also keeping a close eye and tracking those infected so that the infection does not spread to others.
Similarly under the fifth approach of treatment the government is bearing all the expenses in providing proper treatment to those infected and the government will leave no stone unturned in their treatment, said Minister Dhakal.
“Finally, we believe we can all work together to fight against the coronavirus, whereby all the ministries and the whole nation is together in fighting the COVID-19,” Dhakal said.
Every foreign returnee must stay in quarantine to avoid the transmission of the virus, added Minister Dhakal.
The ministry is ready to operate all the hospitals, including the private hospitals for the purpose of the COVID-19, said Minister Dhakal.
COVID-19 cases reach 14 with two more today
The total number of COVID-19 infected people in Nepal has now reached 14, after two new positive cases were detected, on Monday, confirmed the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).
A 65-year old female from Lamkichuha Municipality-1 of Kailali district and a 19-year old male of Rautahat district have tested positive for COVID-19, MoHP confirmed during the regular press briefing on Monday afternoon.
Dr Bikash Devkota, spokesperson of MoHP, in the daily briefing said that two new positive cases of the virus were confirmed today.
The 65-year old woman used to sell tea in Birgunj in Parsa district, near the border area. After she got stranded in Birgunj due to the lockdown, she, along with 16 others, were sent to Kailali with the help of local administration on March 30.
They were kept under quarantine at Lamki Multiple Campus in Kailali, located in the Municipality.
As the virus was not detected in Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT), she was sent back to her home after she completed the quarantine period.
But as the woman tested positive for the virus through PCR method, preparations are going on to quarantine 16 others again, who were quarantined with the patient on March 30.  Dr Devkota informed that the contact tracing of the newly infected has already been started.
Among the coronavirus infected patients, five are receiving treatment at Seti State Hospital, two in Baglung, three in Birgunj, two in Dhangadhi and two in Teku, Kathmandu. The first infected was discharged from the Teku Hospital three months ago and is leading a normal life.
The government has conducted 5,691 sample tests for COVID-19 through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method and 5,291 sample tests were carried out through the Rapid Diagnostic Test method till Monday afternoon.
Dr Devkota informed that the test through RDT had started in 52 districts. He also said that 28 people who had come into contact with the coronavirus-infected persons in Birgunj have been quarantined.