Kathmandu: The Nepal government has announced a nationwide lockdown by completely halting transportation services, international flights and non-essential services. The lockdown will come into force from March 24, in a bid to contain the virus that has claimed thousands of lives and affected more than 3,35,000 people globally. Earlier, Nepal has shut down Mount Everest for climbers amid Coronavirus outbreak.
The decision comes after meeting led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ishwor Pokharel decided to lockdown the country for a week. All public and private transports will be stopped, except in case of emergency. Only vehicles carrying medicines, foods and other goods will be allowed to operate.
Lockdown is an emergency protocol that usually prevents people from leaving an area. It is usually imposed to protect people from a threat or an external event. Nepal has so far reported only two coronavirus case, the lowest in the South Asian region. Countries such as China, Iran, Spain, Italy, among others have been hardly hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. These countries have also imposed lockdowns in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly virus by limiting mobility and contact, and thus breaking the chain of transmission.
