The government has decided to extend the national lockdown for one more week until 15th April, 2020 (midnight). The decision was arrived upon after a ministerial meeting, and upon the advice of Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population. MoHP had suggested the government to extend the lockdown by at least a week.
MoHP, who will be faced with a task of conducting thousands of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) in Sudurpashchim Province and Gandaki Province had requested the lockdown be extended.
With two cases in Baglung, and four cases in Dhangadi (including a local transmission), health authorities are worried about a potential outbreak, and are resorting to mitigate uncontrollable transmission via the extension of the lockdown.
This is the third time the government has extended the lockdown. The government had announced a national lockdown on March 24, initially for a week, but later extended until April 7, midnight.
The government has also appealed the President to end the session of the Federal Parliament at a meeting today.
PM Oli called for a ministerial meeting at his residence in Baluwatar at 2 p.m. earlier this afternoon to discuss about extending the lockdown.
