By Dipak Prasad Gautam, Birgunj, July 29: As many as 34 persons, including Nepali Army (NA) officials, Nepal Police (NP) officials and prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19 in Parsa.

Dr. Madan Upadhyaya, medical superintendent of Narayani Hospital, Birgunj, confirmed that the district had recorded 34 more cases of COVID-19.

“Of 274 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests performed in the Narayani Hospital’s laboratory, the virus infection was detected in 34 persons,” said Dr. Upadhyaya.

Three NP officials, six inmates and two officials of Birgunj Prison, a health worker and a NA official among others were detected with the virus infection, said Dr. Upadhyaya.

Meanwhile, five children and 10 females, from 2 to 65 years of age were also detected with the virus infection.

The virus infection was identified in eight persons of Birgunj Metropolitan City (BMC)-15, 11 of BMC-4, three each of BMC-5, 10 and 25 and one each of BMC-9, 11, 12 and 32.

As many as 48 virus patients have been staying at home due to lack of isolation beds in the district. With additional 34 cases on Tuesday, it has become more challenging for the hospital to manage the COVID-19 patients.

 As all the standards prescribed for home isolation cannot be fulfilled, the risk of spreading to other family members of virus patients has increased in Parsa.

Dr. Upadhyaya said that slight negligence while staying in home isolation would infect all the family members.

Currently, 62 virus patients are receiving treatment in isolation in 50-bedded Gandak Temporary COVID-19 Hospital. Of the 62 patients, five are in Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Moreover, eight patients have been placed in quarantine set up at Trijuddha School, five are in Parsagadhi quarantine, three in Sakhuwa Prasauni quarantine and one is in Thori quarantine.

Under the ‘one house, one test’ policy introduced by the BMC, around 1,500 swab samples have been collected for ‘mass testing’.