Kathmandu, Jun 4 (PTI) With three people confirmed to have tested positive for the newest variant of the corona virus in the last 24 hours, the total number has risen to 35 across Nepal within a week, officials said on Friday.

Nepal has increased testing and tightened health screening at 17 border checkpoints.

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According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, COVID-19 infection has been confirmed across 31 districts of Nepal since last December to the beginning of July.

So far, 249 people have been confirmed COVID-19 positive, the Division officials said.

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Nepal reported on July 24, the first death due to the new variant of the deadly Coronavirus.

Sources said considering the growing risk of COVID-19 infection, the Ministry of Health and Population has made surveillance more effective by setting up health screening desks at 17 border checkpoints across the country.

COVID-19 testing is being carried out at health desks at all border checkpoints, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Dr Prakash Budathoki.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)