KATHMANDU: Coronavirus cases have reached 18,094 in Nepal with 100 fresh cases in a single day.

Speaking at a regular press briefing organized by the Ministry of Health and Population on Wednesday afternoon, Spokesperson Dr. Jageshwor Gautam said that the country’s COVID-19 tally has reached 18,094 with the new cases.

The new cases were detected in Kathmandu, Kalikot, Parsa, Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa, Taplejung, Saptari, Dhanusa, Bara, Sarlahi, Chitwan, Lamjung, Syangja, Baglung, Banke, Bardiya, Salyan, Dailekh, Bajhang and Doti.

Dr. Gautam said that the infection rate had decreased in the last one month. “In the COVID-19 test report of June 24, the infection rate was 9.2 per cent, which decreased to 2.06 per cent on July 17,” he added.

Spokesperson Dr. Gautam said that 3,779 samples were tested through the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method at 28 laboratories across the country.

Meanwhile, 207 COVID-19 patients were discharged from different hospitals and isolation centers.

So far, 12,684 people have been discharged across the country after recovery. The recovery rate in the country now stands at 69.34 percent.

Currently, 5,368 people are undergoing treatment and 20,842 have been quarantined.

Nepal’s COVID-19 death toll stands at 42.

According to Dr Gautam, a sexagenarian died from coronavirus while undergoing treatment at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.

Shashi Bhushan Jha, 60, of Mahottari who was admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital on July 16 succumbed to the virus on Tuesday night.

The PCR report of the deceased came out positive.

Earlier, 73-year-old Ram Krishna Das had died from the virus at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.

Likewise, a Chinese woman died of coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday to become the first foreigner to die of coronavirus pandemic in Nepal.

According to Dr Gautam, the 49-year-old woman undergoing treatment at the TUTH for coronavirus pandemic died this morning.