KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has intensified the tests in more crowded areas after the graph of coronavirus infection caseload has reached at an alarming level.

In order to contain the pandemic by identifying the status of the infected, KMC and Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention jointly initiated a bid to step up the antigen and PCR tests.

According to KMC sources, 12 out of 402 tested through antigen procedure in Kalimati vegetable market on Tuesday were diagnosed with coronavirus infection. It is to take place at Tukucha vegetable market today.

The tests have been initiated in the most vulnerable areas for transmission as identified by the Ministry of Health and COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre. A target is to perform such tests among 10,000 people.

KMC Health Division Chief Hari Kunwar said, “Results drawn from the tests would be helpful in sending the symptomatic patients to hospitals and asymptomatic patients to home isolation for monitoring”.

As per the plan, the antigen tests would be stepped up in the more populated areas such as Asan, Dillibazaar, New Road, Baluwatar and Koteswor in collaboration with KMC. Likewise, it would be performed in Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square in partnership with the concerned local level.

The KMC also has intensified PCR test in view of the rise in the spread of coronavirus infection. KMC is planning to collect swab for PCR tests in 16 sites from coming Sunday.

The tests are undertaken among 600 people every day in 32 wards and 420 among the tested are found infected with coronavirus, said KMC Public Health Division.

As informed the KMC has also make arrangement to take the patients with severe infection to hospitals through ambulance. So far there are 11,631 active coronavirus infected in KMC.