Three more Covid-19 related deaths and 70 new cases were reported in Nepal on Saturday as the national count of cases reached 16,719.

Two men aged 60 and 54 from Kathmandu and another aged 45 from Sindhupalchok are the latest to die from Covid-19 in Nepal, said Dr Jageshwor, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health during a regular briefing on Saturday.

“The 60-year-old man from Shankhamul in Kathmandu was admitted to Patan Hospital for lungs and kidney-related ailments on June 30,” said Gautam. “He tested positive for the virus the following day.” The man died on Friday while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

“The 54-year-old from Gokarneshwor in Kathmandu was a kidney patient and was admitted to Kathmandu Medical College in Sinamangal on July 3,” said Gautam. “His swab samples were collected for a coronavirus test after he had reported breathing difficulties. The positive test result came in on July 5.” He died while undergoing treatment on Thursday.

Similarly, the 45-year-old man was a resident of Panchpokhari, Sindhupalchok. “He was admitted to Patan Hospital on July 2 for tuberculosis,” Gautam said. “He tested positive for coronavirus on July 6 and died while undergoing treatment on Thursday.”

With the three casualties, the national coronavirus death toll has reached 38.

Likewise, 70 individuals from Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, Rauthat, Sarlahi, Siraha, Chitwan, Dhading, Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchok, Baglung, Gorkha, Kaski, Myagdi, Parbat, Syangja, Tanahu, Banke, Bardiya, Dang, Palpa, Jumla, Salyan, Surkhet, Rukum (West), Achham, and Kanchanpur tested positive for Covid-19 at various labs across the country in the last 24 hours, said Gautam.

Gautam added that six districts—Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Solukhumbu, Mustang, Manang and Humla—have zero active cases.

The ministry said 8,442 persons, 431 in the past 24 hours, have returned home after recovering from the disease, and there are currently 8,239 active cases in the country.

On Friday, 118 new cases were reported across the country, and 108 and 255 cases on Thursday and Wednesday respectively.

Gautam said 3,648 PCR tests were carried out in the last 24 hours across the country, taking the total number of PCR tests to 279,599.

Health experts have said that the country is veering towards a major coronavirus crisis as the government has reduced the sample collection and daily testing range and touting the declining infection cases as an achievement.

The ministry had vowed to perform 10,000 daily tests from June 29, a decision that was prompted following the youth-led protests against the government’s poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But instead of increasing the tests, the ministry has revised its guidelines, effectively narrowing the range of sample collection for the coronavirus tests.

Track all Covid-19 cases in Nepal here.