PM Oli clarifies govt has no immediate plan to enforce nationwide lockdown

PM K P Oli at a meeting of Covid-19 Crisis Management Center. (Photo: PM Secretariat)

NL Today

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Kathmandu: At a time when coronavirus cases have been surging across the country, Prime Minister K P Oli has clarified that the government has no plan to clamp a nationwide lockdown immediately.

What did the Prime Minister say?

During a briefing by Covid-19 Crisis Management Center on Saturday, the Prime Minister claimed that the situation was still under control.

“PM emphasized that local levels should strictly enforce health protocols as they have been authorized to enforced prohibitory orders and lockdowns,” said Secretary at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Khagaraj Baral.

Why PM’s statement matter?

The statement by the Prime Minister comes at a time when there were speculations that the country will enter another lockdown with the second wave of the pandemic hitting hard. Nepal’s business community is worried that another lockdown will serve a blow to the economy that is in a recovery mode.

Worth noting: Coronavirus cases have gone high in Nepal in an alarming manner with the country recording 2,486 cases and 14 deaths in the last 24 hours. Local units including Nepalgunj in western Nepal have enforced a weeklong lockdown to stem the spread of the pandemic.