Kathmandu, May 21 – The country has logged 8,607 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health and Population. In a routine press meet held virtually today, Ministry’s spokesperson Dr Jageshwor Gautam shared that with this the Covid-19 caseload has so far reached 497,052 in the country.

The new cases were confirmed from the 22,353 PCR tests and 873 antigen tests out of which 8,407 had tested positive for COVID-19 through PCR test and 200 through antigen, informed Dr Gautam.There are currently altogether 116,192 active cases in the country, said Dr Gautam, adding among them 912 were availing treatment in various quarantine facilities. Those receiving treatment in isolation facilities were 116,192.

A total of 2,878,146 PCR tests have been conducted in the country so far.Likewise, 7,890 coronavirus infection patients enjoyed full recovery from the flu-like infection in the past 24 hours which takes the recovery number to 374,836 and recovery rate to 75.4 per cent to date.

Kathmandu Valley recorded 2,447 new cases during the same period, according to the Ministry. There are 22,193 active cases in the Valley as of now.Similarly, 177 people succumbed to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours in various parts of the country. With this the Covid-19 fatality in the country stands at 6,024, according to the Ministry.(RSS)