Nepal reports over 4,500 new COVID-19 cases as situation deteriorates

Nepal on Tuesday reported 4,524 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the third-highest single-day spike so far.

Of the total cases, 4,364 were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests while 160 were confirmed through antigen test, Xinhua reported citing data released by Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population.

The countrywide Covid-19 count has stepped on to 307,925 after the latest update, The Himalayan Times reported.

The nationwide death toll has reached 3,194 with 18 Covid-related fatalities reported on Tuesday.

Basudev Pandey, former director at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services, an agency under Nepal's health ministry, told Xinhua on Tuesday that he believed the reported cases were still underestimated because of the lack of adequate contact tracing of people coming in contact with infected people.

"Speedy rise in COVID-19 in Nepal in recent days is also a natural reflection of what is happening in India because two countries share a porous border," Pandey said.

( With inputs from ANI )