Nepal registers fourth case of COVID-19

Ministry of Health and Population here on Saturday confirmed that a fourth person from the western part of the land-locked country has tested positive for COVID-19.

The 34-year-old man had just returned from the United Arab Emirates, Bikash Devkota, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told Kathmandu Post.

The National Public Health Laboratory, under the Department of Health Services, tested the specimens of the patient and confirmed a positive result on Friday.

"The patient is currently receiving treatment at the Seti Provincial Hospital in Dhangadhi of Sudurpaschim Province," Devkota told the Post.

"We are working to find the details of the patient, including the number of the flight which he boarded for Nepal," the spokesperson added.

The patient was hospitalized on March 24 after he showed symptoms of high fever, chest pain and dry cough.

But the hospital could not send his specimens--nasal and throat swabs--to the National Public Health Laboratory, the only lab which conducts tests for the coronavirus immediately as the government enforced a lockdown starting the same morning (March 24), suspending all air and bus services.

This is the first COVID-19 positive case reported from outside the Valley, said Devkota.

"This shows patients of COVID-19 are outside the Valley as well. We would like to request all to stay at home for their own and others' safety," he noted.

The first COVID-19 case in the Himalayan country was reported by the end of January.

In the third case that was reported this month, the patient had a travel history from Sharjah in the UAE.