KATHMANDU, April 1: A total of 1133 lab tests for novel coronavirus disease have been conducted as of Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.

At a daily press briefing of the ministry today, spokesperson Dr Bikash Devkota said that swab samples of 1133 COVID-19 suspected patients were tested. He also added that the test for the family members and relatives who were in contact with coronavirus patients is also underway. “So far, no positive case has been reported among those who were in contact with COVID-19 patients,” Dr Devkota added.

According to him, contact tracing has reached 84 percent. The task of contact tracing is being conducted by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services.

“In the case of Dhangadi, samples of family members and others who had been in contact with the patient have been collected and the report is being waited," he said.

Dr Devkota also said that contact tracing is one the major tasks in preventing the pandemic. “Therefore, we have been adopting standards set by the WHO and kept the family members and other contacted persons in quarantine for lab test and treatment,” he said adding that 99 suspected patients are kept under isolation wards in various hospitals throughout the country.

“Expansion of lab for testing COVID-19 is at a rapid pace,” he claimed. He further informed that test labs have already come into operation in two places--- Pokhara and Dharan.

"14 and 4 tests were done in Dharan and Pokhara respectively, according to him. Similarly, testing will begin in Hetauda by Wednesday evening.

Informing about the call center set up by the ministry, he informed that more than 6,900 calls were received. Of them, 2,323 calls within 24 hours were also addressed, he said.