KATHMANDU: Nepal has confirmed 144 new coronavirus positive cases in the past 24 hours.

Speaking at a regular press briefing on Monday afternoon, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr. Jageshwor Gautam said that Nepal’s COVID-19 tally has reached 16,945 with the new cases.

According to Dr. Gautam, four people from Jhapa, one from Morang and one from Sunsari were confirmed to be infected din tests at Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Biratnagar and one from Saptari in tests at Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital.

Similarly, 11 people from Dhanusha and 4 people from Mahottari tested positive at Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Janakpur and 16 from Dhanusha at Narayani Hospital, Birgunj.

In tests conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory in Kathmandu, two people from Kathmandu and 8 people from Kapilvastu were found infected, one positive case from Bhaktapur in a test conducted at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Diseases Hospital and five people from Lalitpur, one from Kavre, one from Kailali, one from Myagdi and one from Dolakha tested positive at Patan Hospital.

A test conducted at the Insect Disease Research and Training Center, Hetauda, has confirmed the infection in nine people from Rautahat and one from Makwanpur.

Likewise, a test conducted at Dhulikhel Hospital has confirmed coronavirus in one person of Sindhuli.

A test conducted at the TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, has confirmed coronavirus infection in one person from Kathmandu and two from Baglung, according to Spokesperson Dr. Gautam.

One person from Myagdi, one person from Parbat, one person from Syangja and two people from Tanahun have been found infected in the test conducted at the Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Pokhara.

Similarly, one person from Kapilvastu tested in the Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Rupandehi, two each from Bardiya and Dang in the test conducted at Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj and the infection has been confirmed in two people from Rukum West in the PCR laboratory of Chaurajahari Municipality.

A test conducted at the Province Hospital, Surkhet, confirmed the infection in one person from Banke, two from Dailekh, one from Jajarkot and 41 from Surkhet.

Similarly, in the laboratory test of Dadeldhura Hospital, two people from Bajhang and two people from Baitadi tested positive

One person from Achham and 10 people from Kailali have been infected in the test conducted at Seti Provincial Hospital, Dhangadhi.

He added that 5,856 samples were tested through the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method in 25 laboratories across the country.

Currently, 6,613 are undergoing treatment in isolation, while 23,470 have been quarantined, Spokesperson Dr. Gautam said.

Meanwhile, 1,705 COVID-19 patients were discharged from different hospitals and isolation centers.

So far, 10,294 people have been discharged across the country after recovery. The recovery rate now stands at 60.7 percent.

So far 38 persons have lost their lives due to the pandemic virus in Nepal.