This May 14, 2017 photo shows Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari addresses the closing ceremony of an international Buddhist Conference at The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo, Sri Lanka. (LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)
HANOI / MANILA / SINGAPORE / KATHMANDU – Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital of Kathmandu, tested positive for COVID-19, a hospital official said on Sunday.
The president, who was admitted to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital on Saturday, tested positive for COVID-19 in a PCR test, said Dr. Dinesh Kafle, executive director of the hospital.
"She was admitted to the hospital following a high fever, cough, headache and body ache," Kafle told Xinhua. "On Sunday afternoon, she didn't have a fever but a dry cough. However, she is feeling better."
According to Kafle, the president may need medical attention for a few more days at the hospital. "As she has been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, we are hopeful that no serious complication will arise in her health."
Tika Dhakal, a media expert at the Office of the President, told Xinhua that the president had also undergone tests for dengue and seasonal flu but the reports were negative.
"Her health has much improved on Sunday compared with Saturday," Dhakal said.
The total confirmed active COVID-19 cases in Nepal stood at 570 by Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.
ALSO READ: Indonesia eyes exporting COVID-19 vaccines to Africa
Philippines
The Philippines reported 2,097 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 3,967,861.
The Department of Health said the number of active cases decreased to 26,357, while 34 more patients died from COVID-19 complications, pushing the country's death toll to 63,264.
Metro Manila, the capital region with over 13 million people, tallied 790 new cases. The DOH said Metro Manila is still the top region with the most COVID-19 cases at 1,277,853, followed by the two areas adjacent to the capital.
Singapore Airlines stewardesses walk past a giant lollipop candy display at Changi International Airport in Singapore on April 1, 2022, as Singapore reopened its land and air borders to travelers fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. (ROSLOAN RAHMAN / AFP)
Singapore
Singapore reported 4,795 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total tally to 1,953,197.
Of the new cases, 476 were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 4,319 through ARTs (antigen rapid test), according to statistics released by the country's Ministry of Health.
Among the PCR cases, 465 were local transmissions and 11 were imported cases. Among the ART cases with mild symptoms and assessed to be of low risk, there were 4,218 local transmissions and 101 imported cases.
No new death from COVID-19 was reported on Sunday, making the total death toll stay unchanged at 1,629.
ALSO READ: Türkiye faces looming wave of COVID-19 infections
Vietnam
Vietnam recorded 371 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, down by 311 from Saturday, according to its ministry of health.
All the new cases were locally transmitted, said the ministry.
The newly reported infections brought the total tally to 11,486,414. The country reported no new deaths from the pandemic on Sunday, with the total fatalities staying at 43,153.