Bhaktapur, April 12 : The test for COVID-19 among the suspected ones in the district has begun in Bhaktapur Hospital after the Hospital received the kit for rapid diagnosis of the infection.    
Those foreign returnees and suspected to have contracted the deadly virus will be tested at the Hospital from today, informed superintendent of Bhaktapur Hospital, Dr Sumitra Gautam.    
The 300 test-kits were sent to the Hospital by the Ministry of Health in Bagmati Province.    
Anyone tested positive for COVID-19 will be treated in isolation in the Hospital but in case of further treatment and test, the infected ones will be sent to Teku-based Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital (STIDH).    
The Hospital so far has collected nasal and throat swabs of 154 suspected ones and sent to the National Public Health Laboratory, among which 90 were tested negative while results were awaited for the rest 64.    
Around 25 to 50 people infected with flu and fever have been visiting the Hospital on a daily basis, the Hospital said. Currently, the Hospital has 10-bed isolation. Eight people are being treated in isolation today.    
The Hospital has been providing regular healthcare services during the lockdown on the contrary to many private health facilities that have ceased rendering OPD and other healthcare services during the ongoing nationwide lockdown enforced by the government to contain the outbreak of the flu-like infection.    
Bhaktapur municipality myor Madan Sundar Shrestha shared that 62 foreign returnees were identified in four municipalities in the district. Sample swabs were collected from them and being tested.    
The municipality has begun monitoring the healthcare services in the district after the rampant complaints that many of the hospitals had refused to register the patients suspected to have contracted COVID-19 while many of them denying other health services fearing the COVID-19 contract.