Lockdown extended again in Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu, July 26 The ongoing lockdown in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley has been extended for an additional 10 more days until August 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 news agency on Sunday night.

"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 gatherings, 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 resumed since July 23.

On July 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 p.m.

The Kathmandu Valley and many other parts of Nepal have been put under lockdown since April 29 to contain a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Along with the reduction in new cases since June, 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."

Nepal's Health Ministry, citing "a spike in the infection rate" following the relaxed measures, warned last week of an increasing possibility of a third waveto hit the country.

Nepal has reported a total of 680,556 Covid-19 cases and 9,713 deaths.