The scope of COVID-19 testing is to be increased in all nine local level units of Kalikot. A meeting on Friday of the District COVID-19 crisis management committee took the decision, considering the increasing number of infections in the district.
Accordingly, 500 antigen kits reach have been sent to Khandachakra and Raskot municipality, Pachaljharana and Subhakalika rural municipalities, while other local level units will also receive it soon, said acting Chief of the District Health Service Office, KatakBahadurMahat. The scope of testing is being expanded as the pandemic is likely to have spread into the communities.
On Friday alone, 17 people tested positive to COVID-19 when 60 people were tested through the antigen test, while 18 of the 34 who underwent RT-PCR test were found carrying the virus, Mahat said.
In the second wave of the pandemic, 1,490 people have tested positive to the virus in the district, of which 1,352 have recovered. There are 134 active cases in different isolation centres and 13 admitted to the COVID special hospital.
So far, four people have died of COVID-19 in Kalikot.