The government has delegated the authority to impose prohibitory orders to districts considering the level of local infections but said that such prohibitory orders should be for at least 15 days.
The district administration office concerned can issue prohibitory orders once there are 200 active cases in the district in hills and 500 in the Kathmandu Valley and the plains.
Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi told Setopati that the Cabinet meeting on Monday has delegated the rights to the districts.
Chief district officers (CDO) of the three districts in Kathmandu Valley on Monday decided to issue a week of prohibitory orders effective from Thursday. These districts will also have to impose prohibitory orders for at least 15 days as per the Cabinet decision.
"All districts do not need to issue prohibitory orders. Only 11-12 districts will have to impose that. The district administration concerned will conduct study and issue prohibitory orders," Tripathi said adding that such prohibitory orders will have to be issued giving a window of a few days for the people to travel.
"The chain of infections cannot be broken by prohibitory orders for five days or a week. It needs at least 14 days to break the chain. We have, therefore, said to issue for 15 days," he explained.
He revealed that the government will make arrangements at border points for PCR tests of Nepalis returning home and keep them at holding centers. Foreigners will have to be quarantined for 10 days even if they produce negative PCR tests on arrival.
The government has decided to continue operation of the aviation sector for now. Foreigners arriving to Nepal will have to quarantine at hotels and Nepalis at their homes. The government will take additional decision about the aviation sector after taking stock of the situation a week later.
