Nepal extends lockdown until April 7, international flight suspension until April 15

File: An empty road in Kathmandu on the first day of lockdown, on March 24, 2020.

Kathmandu, March 29

The government of Nepal on Sunday decided to extend the lockdown imposed to control the spread of novel coronavirus infection in the country.

A Cabinet meeting held this afternoon decided to extend the existing lockdown and border seal till April 7. Earlier last week. the government had decided to impose the lockdown from March 24 to 31.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to suspend the operation of international flights till April 15. Earlier, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had announced the suspension from March 22 till 31. A meeting of the high-level committee formed to control the outbreak, formed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, made this decision before the Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, the meeting also decided to let the Nepali citizens stranded across the Nepal-India border enter the country while continuing the border seal. Narayan Bidari, a secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister, says those willing to enter the country have to submit evidence of Nepali citizenship at the crossing.

They will be required to stay in quarantine as decided by the government earlier.