Nepal Decides to End 4-Month Lockdown

The government of Nepal has decided to formally end the nearly 4-month long lockdown imposed on March 24 to prevent transmission of COVID-19, said a senior cabinet minister.

The Nepali government took the decision as the country witnesses a declining number of new COVID-19 cases in recent days, allowing almost all economic activities to operate, reports Xinhua.

A cabinet meeting has decided to end the lockdown from Tuesday midnight, Yubaraj Khatiwada, Nepali government's spokesperson and the minister for finance and communication, said at a regular press meet on Tuesday, UNB reported.

The cabinet decision comes after Nepal has been reporting a sharp drop in COVID-19 cases in recent days from 740 cases a day on July 3 to 150 cases on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, total cases reached 17,994 on Tuesday.

According to the cabinet decision, the Nepali government has allowed conducting most of the activities in the hospitality sector by following certain health protocols.