KATHMANDU, Jul 26 (NNN-XINHUA) – The ongoing lockdown in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley was extended for 10 more days till Aug 4, though most of the restrictive measures have been relaxed in past weeks.
“We extended the lockdown by keeping certain activities under the prohibited list,” Kali Prasad Parajuli, chief district officer of the Kathmandu district, told Xinhua. “The health protocols should be followed, to carry out activities in the sectors where the provisions of lockdown have been relaxed.”
Sporting events, swimming pools, theatres, mass meetings, rallies, cultural and religious events are still banned, as decided by the Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts in the valley.
Meanwhile, long- and medium-distance transportation services have been reopened, in a separate notice issued on Jul 23. On Jul 4, the authorities in the Kathmandu Valley allowed public and private transportation services within the region.
Under the new rules, schools can take examinations, but with no more than 25 persons inside each room, and restaurants can offer takeaway services till 7:00 p.m.
The Kathmandu Valley and many other parts of Nepal have been put under lockdown since Apr 29, to contain a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the reduction in new cases since Jun, the restrictive measures have been eased in the valley, while the lockdown was extended time and again.
“We know that health protocols have not been fully followed,” said Parajuli. “It is difficult to enforce the health protocols fully because of the large population in Kathmandu.”
He insisted that it is the duty of every citizen to follow the health protocols for themselves. “We also cannot allow economic activities to remain suspended forever, as the livelihoods of many people are at stake,” he said.
Nepal’s Health Ministry, citing “a spike in the infection rate” following the relaxed measures, warned of an increasing possibility of a third wave to hit the country.
Nepal reported a total of 680,556 COVID-19 cases and 9,713 deaths by yesterday, with 1,539 new cases and 18 new fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.– NNN-XINHUA
