May 31 :The government has decided to extend the national lockdown until June 14 in the wake of increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
A cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Baluwatar in the capital yesterday took a decision to this effect. The lockdown, which was first enforced on March 24 to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, was coming to an end on June 2. The country has so far witnessed a total of 1,401 COVID-19 cases with seven fatalities.
The meeting also decided to extend the suspension of domestic and international flights until June 27. Likewise, the government came up with a decision to mobilize the Nepal Army (NA) in highly affected areas to effectively implement the lockdown as per the recommendation of the National Security Council. It will also be deployed to assist police personnel in order to manage the Nepali returnees from foreign countries.
According to media reports, the government is planning to bring back those people who have been given general amnesty in the Gulf region and who are required to perform final rites of their relatives will be in the country. In the same vein, those who have lost their jobs after the expiry of labor contract or having health issues except COVID-19 will also be brought back home.
Furthermore, the government will bring in senior citizens, physically challenged persons, pregnant women and the government employees currently in various foreign countries.
