Nepal records fourth COVID-19 death as the cases near 700 By Our Reporter Despite lockdown in place for over two months, cases of coronavirus have been increasing steadily with cases nearing 700 with four deaths. As of Tuesday morning, the COVID-19 cases have reached 695 with Banke having the highest number case in Banke at 146 followed by Parsa with 96 cases.  Even in Kathmandu, the cases have climbed to 16. The fourth victim of COVID-19 was a 70-year-old-man of Bara who had died at the National Medical College in Birgunj on May 17. However, he was found to be a COVID-19 patient a week after his death and last rites. “The swab sample of a 70-year-old man, who died on May 17 at the National Medical College in Birgunj, tested positive for Covid-19,” said Dr Bikas Devkota, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), at a regular press briefing on Monday. “With this, the number of people killed by the virus has reached four.” Earlier, a woman of Sindupalchowk, a youth of Banke and a teacher of Gulmi died of COVID-19. On Monday alone,79 new virus patients were detected across Nepal.  The cases have been found in 53 of 77 districts, and 112 patients have returned home after their recovery. Now with the increasing number Nepalis returning from India, there is a risk of spread of the virus in Karnali and Sudurpaschim States, where the health facilities are also poor. Meanwhile, the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) has started testing COVID-19 through PCR method. The hospital has started the test through the machine provided by Tribhuvan University.