Youth who tested positive for coronavirus had returned from UAE on March 11: Minister

KATHMANDU: The person who tested positive for coronavirus had returned from the UAE, Minister of Health, Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal confirmed on Wednesday.

Minister Dhakal confirmed that the youth coming from the UAE was tested positive for COVID-19 via a virtual press conference.

The youth, the third person to be infected with the virus in the country, had come to Nepal from the UAE on March 11 through Air Arabia flight no G9537 that landed at 10:09 pm at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

The youth, 32, from Dhading district, was staying in a hotel in Kathmandu.

He had gone to the Teku-based Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital after feeling uncomfortable.

The case was confirmed after swab test of the person sent by the Teku-based Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease came out positive.

The Ministry of Health and Population had earlier confirmed the case.

According to Information Officer at National Public Health Laboratory, Rajesh Kumar Gupta, 687 people have been tested for the virus in Nepal so far. Of them, 684 tested negative.

Gupta had earlier said that the youth had arrived from a Gulf country. He, however, did not say anything about the date and the flight in which he came to Nepal.

The infected-youth is currently being treated in an isolation ward of the Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku.

The youth is the third person to be infected in the country. While one China-returnee who tested positive has already recovered, two are currently under treatment.