KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has stated that three newly-identified COVID-19 patients have been put in isolation at Seti Provincial Hospital.

According to Spokesperson Bikash Devkota, the number of coronavirus cases has reached nine after three more people tested for the novel virus on Saturday.

Those infected with the virus are 21-year-old youth who has recently arrived in Kailali from Mumbai, a 41-year-old man who recently arrived in Kanchanpur from Uttarakhand, India and a 34-year-old woman in Kailali, the sister-in-law of a 34-year-old man recently diagnosed with the novel virus in the same district.

Likewise, two COVID-19 patients are at the Kathmandu-based Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital and two others at Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital.

69 suspects put in isolation across country

Speaking at a regular press meet organized by the ministry on Saturday, Spokesperson Devkota shared that 15 patients are in isolation in Kathmandu Valley and 54 in hospitals outside Valley.

According to him, the National Public Health Laboratory has so far tested 1,441 samples, adding that COVID-19 tests will begin from Chitwan and Butwal from Sunday.

Tests for COVID-19 have already started in Janakpur, Dharan, Hetauda, Pokhara and Surkhet outside Kathmandu Valley.

126 in the red zone

The Ministry has stated that 126 persons are in the red zone as per a survey carried out by a website and a mobile app that were made public a few days ago. The ministry is searching for them to perform COVID-19 tests.

According to Spokesperson Devkota, a total of 6,527 persons have uploaded their information through the website and mobile app.