By Ajita Rijal

Kathmandu, Apr. 5: COVID-19 cases in Nepal reached nine after three new cases were detected on Saturday. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) updated with three more positive cases of COVID-19 including the first local transmission case at its regular media briefing today.
According to spokesperson at MoHP Dr Bikash Devkota, the three patients are, a 21-year old man of Kailali and a 41-year old man from Kanchanpur, both of whom returned from India and a 34-year old woman from Kailali, relative of a man who had earlier tested positive for the disease.
Both men were quarantined at Kailali and Kanchanpur. As the infected woman did not have a travel history, this is a local transmission, said Dr Devkota, adding the transmission had entered the second phase.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), local transmission indicates locations where the source of infection is within the reporting location.
Dr Devkota suggested all the returnees to maintain discipline at the quarantine as precautionary measure to prevent the transmission of the virus to others. All newly infected patients are receiving treatment at the Seti State Hospital in Dhangadhi, said Dr Devkota adding their health status was normal.
According to MoHP, the 34-year-old woman is the sister-in-law of the 34-year old man who had returned from the United Arab Emirates and tested positive for COVID-19.
On the occasion Dr Devkota suggested the returnees to stay in quarantine even after spending 14 days. “Since the virus symptom is sometimes not noticeable and there are chances of transmission of the virus even after 14 days, returnees must quarantine themselves,” added Dr Devkota.
The ministry has noticed 126 coronavirus suspected patients through its website and mobile apps as of Saturday. “So far 126 respondents through the apps and website are in red zone,” said Dr Devkota, adding the procedure of tracing is being carried out by the concerned department.
Through the website and mobile application one can evaluate the symptoms relating to coronavirus and obtain the result on their own. According to MoHP, 1277 samples in total were tested as of Saturday afternoon.