KATHMANDU: Total coronavirus cases in the country reached 19,771 as of Friday afternoon after confirmation of 224 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Spokesperson at the Ministry Dr. Jageshwor Gautam said that the new cases were confirmed in 10,768 tests carried out in laboratories across the country.

According to Dr. to Gautam, a person from Jhapa was found infected in tests carried out at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, 12 people from Jhapa and 15 people from Morang in tests conducted at Koshi Hospital, Biratnagar and tests at the Provincial Public Health Laboratory in Janakpur have confirmed the infection in one person from Dhanusha, one from Bara and one from Sarlahi.

Similarly, two people from Bara, 41 from Parsa and one from Rautahat have been confirmed to have coronavirus infection in tests conducted at Narayani Hospital, Birgunj.

Tests conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory in Kathmandu have confirmed the infection in 24 people from Bajhang, 15 people from Kailali, eight people from Kathmandu and two people from Nuwakot.

One person from Bara, three from Kathmandu, two from Lalitpur and two from Rautahat were tested positive at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Diseases Hospital, two of Nawalparasi East at Bharatpur Hospital and tests at the Insect Disease Research and Training Center, Hetauda, have confirmed the infection in one person of Makwanpur.

Similarly, 16 people from Darchula and 18 from Kanchanpur were tested positive at the laboratory of Dhulikhel Hospital and tests conducted at Patan Hospital Lalitpur confirmed the infection in two people from Kathmandu, two from Lalitpur and one from Saptari.

Dr. Gautam said that in a laboratory test conducted at Bir Hospital, a person from Kathmandu was found infected, eighteen people from Kathmandu and one from Lalitpur were tested positive at the Nepal Police Hospital laboratory and tests conducted at Nepal Korea Friendship Hospital, Bhaktapur confirmed the infection in one person from Bhaktapur.

Similarly, tests conducted at Pokhara Institute of Health Sciences have confirmed the infection in two people from Kaski, one person from Kaski, two people from Myagdi and one person from Tanahun.

Two persons from Gulmi and one from Rupandehi were tested positive in the Provincial Public Health Laboratory in Rupandehi, one person from Banke, one from Dailekh and one from Dang were tested positive at Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj and tests at Rapti Academy of Health Sciences confirmed that two people from Dang have contracted coronavirus.

According to Spokesperson Dr. Gautam, in a test conducted at the Dailekh PCR laboratory, one of the Dailekh was diagnosed positive and tests conducted at Dadeldhura Hospital have confirmed the infection in 10 people of Baitadi and three of Doti.

Meanwhile, 151 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals and isolation centers after recovery. A total of 14,399 have recovered across the country so far.

At present, 5 316 people are in isolation and 12,111 are in quarantines.

Nepal reported four deaths in the past 24 hours that took the death toll to 56, Spokesperson Dr. Gautam said.