In order to break the chain of rapidly increasing cases of COVID-19, the Government of Nepal has imposed a 15-day long COVID-19 prohibitory order in the districts of Kathmandu valley with effect from today.
Earlier this week, on April 26, under the Infectious Disease Act 2020, the Chief District Officers of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur districts issued an order to impose a week-long prohibitory order in these highly affected districts. Previously, on April 25, Nepal’s COVID-19 Crisis Management Center had recommended that the Council of Ministers authorized district crisis management centers to decide on the extent of restrictive measures.
The restrictive measures aimed at preventing the spread of new cases of infection have been introduced to the territory with effect from 6:00 am today (April 29).
Security personnel have been deployed on several road sections across Kathmandu valley since early morning to ensure that the restrictions are strictly followed.
- As per the instructions, traffic movement by both private and public transport is prohibited except for emergency vehicles which includes those of the medical and security services
- Restrictions also apply to all gatherings and meetings including conferences, entertainment and hospitality services, gyms, cinemas, museums, swimming pools, schools, and colleges
- Access by vehicles carrying essential goods to Kathmandu valley is permitted and services such as the sale and supply of drinking water and food are allowed
- Food stores can remain open from 6 to 10 am and from 5 to 7 pm daily
- Domestic flights will continue to strictly adhere to safety measures and it is mandatory for all arriving in Nepal to remain in quarantine for 10 days
- All foreigners excluding Chinese and Indians will be barred from entering the country via land routes
- In addition to producing proof of a prior hotel reservation for quarantine purposes, all Indian nationals entering via a land route will need PCR test results from samples collected within the previous 72 hours that show they are clear of having contracted COVID-19
- Likewise, Chinese nationals arriving via land routes will have to provide a PCR test result and confirmation of a hotel booking for quarantine purposes
Meanwhile, issuing a notice on April 28, the Embassy of Russia in Nepal is urging Russian citizens who are in Nepal or who are planning to visit the country to either leave or refrain from traveling there. Similarly, due to the very dramatic increase in infections and the difficult situation of healthcare in India, while all travel to India has been discontinued by Norway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, through a press statement issued on April 28, has also discouraged its citizens from travel to Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Iraq.
Authorities at the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal have warned that the serious deterioration in the epidemiological situation across the country could lead to more serious restrictions including another lockdown.
As many as 2,047 cases of COVID-19 infections have been reported in the last 24 hours in Kathmandu valley while the country as a whole recorded a total of 4,897 infections and 17 deaths in this period. The active cases across the country amount to 30,209 with the COVID-19 death toll having reached 3,211. The total number of infections has reached 312,699, of which 279,279 have recovered.
