Kathmandu, Jan 18 : Three people in Nepal have been infected with the newly discovered coronavirus variant, confirmed the Ministry of Health and Population. The infected persons with new Covid-19 variant are a 28-year-old woman and 67 and 32-year-old men. Of those, who recently returned to Nepal from the United Kingdom, the origin of the new coronavirus, six swab samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 virus and of them, three were confirmed to have contracted the new virus, said the Ministry’s Spokesperson Dr Jageshwor Gautam. On January 11, the samples were sent to Hong Kong with the assistance of the World Health Organisation for a test to confirm whether the infection was new or not. The National Public Health Laboratory today received the results of the samples through an email.

Three Nepalis have been confirmed to have contracted new variant lineage B. 1.1.7 or 20B/501Y.V1, according to a statement issued by Dr Gautam. Of them, the 28-year-old woman and 32-year-old man have been tested negative for Covid-19 and the 67-year-old man does not show any symptoms despite having contracted the infection. The Ministry has urged all to have high caution until Covid-19 vaccines are available in the country. —