KATHMANDU- Local administration offices are mulling over a lockdown in the Kathmandu valley that includes Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.
Chief district officers (CDOs) of three districts are reportedly preparing to impose the lockdown in the Kathmandu valley and issue a stay-at-home order in the wake of a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent days.
Bhaktapur’s CDO Humkala Pandey said that the CDOs of three districts are having discussions on imposing lockdown in the Kathmandu valley.
She said that they are making preparation to impose lockdown in collaboration with the government due to rapid rise in coronavirus infection rate in the valley.
Concluding that containment measures and restrictions that are currently in place were not enough to stop the outbreak of coronavirus, three CDOs are making preparations to impose another lockdown in the valley.
“Taking into consideration the rise in the coronavirus-infection rate in Kathmandu valley, we are holding discussions on imposing lockdown,” said Bhaktapur’s CDO Pandey. “We are also having discussions with the government on this issue. We will make a decision on the issue of lockdown through a joint meeting of the CDOs of three districts,” she added.
According to Pandey, all services and movements except for essentials will be restricted if the lockdown is imposed.
In the last few days, the valley is observing a sharp rise in the COVID-19 cases.
As of Monday, the country observed 581 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 27,241. Three more COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Monday. The total COVID-19 death toll has now reached 107. In Kathmandu valley alone, 168 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday, according to the Ministry.
The pandemic is said to have spread to a community level after the government decided to lift its nearly four-month long nation-wide lockdown on July 20 except some restrictions.
