By Aasha Shah, Kathmandu, June 21: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has said that the COVID-19 infection rate was increasing in 16 districts across the nation.

Dr. Krishna Prasad Poudel, MoHP spokesperson, said that according to the data of the last 14 days, the virus has spread rapidly in 16 districts.

According to Dr. Poudel, the infection rate was on the rise in Udayapur, Paanchthar, Terhathum, Bhojpur, and Sankhuwasabha of Province 1. Similarly, COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Dolakha, Nuwakot, Rasuwa districts of Bagmati Province, and Baglung and Mustang in Gandaki Province.

Similarly, Rolpa in Lumbini Province, Jumla, Dolpa, Mugu, and Rukum (West) in Karnali Province, and Bajura in Sudurpaschim Province have also recorded a rise in their COVID-19 tally in the past 14 days, the Health Ministry informed.

"While the risk of spread of the virus has increased in these districts, active cases of COVID-19 is declining in all districts of Province 2," said Dr. Poudel.

Similarly, according to the daily COVID-19 update revealed by the MoHP on Sunday, a total of 42 districts across the nation currently have more than 500 active cases. 

The infection rate has been declining in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Rupandehi, Bhaktapur, Morang, Kailali, Chitwan, Dhanusa, Sunsari, and Kavrepalanchowk.

Similarly, the number of districts having more than 500 active cases is also decreasing gradually.

Of the active virus-infected patients, 60.8 per cent are males and 39.2 per cent are females. Similarly, the majority of active COVID-19 patients are aged between 20 to 60 years, the ministry said.