By TRN Online, Kathmandu, July 16: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has confirmed 167 new cases of COVID-19 today.

In 4,981 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests conducted in 27 laboratories across the nation in the last 24 hours, as many as 167 persons were found with the virus infection, informed Dr Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson of the ministry in the daily press briefing today.

The new cases were detected in Jhapa, Sunsari, Udayapur, Illam, Morang, Okhaldhunga, Dhanusa, Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Kathmandu, Nawalparasi (East), Makwanpur, Baglung, Syangja, Rupandehi, Pyuthan, Banke, Surkhet, Bardiya, Dang, Dailekh, Rukum (West), Salyan, Jajarkot, Mugu, Dadeldhura, Achcham, Kanchanpur, Bajhang and Kailali.

Meanwhile, 213 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at various health facilities across the nation were discharged in the last 24 hours after recovering from the virus.

The recovery rate now stands at 64.85 per cent, PCR test positivity rate is at 2-3 per cent and the COVID-19 death rate is at 1.03 per cent.

Currently, there are 6,056 active cases of virus infection and 23,500 people, most of them returnees from other countries, are placed in quarantine.

With this, the national COVID-19 tally has reached 17,344 including 11,249 cases of recovery and 39 death cases.