Cabinet meeting deferred; to meet at 5 pm

KATHMANDU: A meeting of the cabinet scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday has been deferred to 5 pm this evening.

The meeting has been slated at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar at 5 pm, according to Press Advisor to PM Oli, Surya Thapa.

Prime Minister KP Oli has summoned the meeting of Council of Ministers to discuss the COVID-19 lockdown in effect since March 24.

Lockdown will be the main agenda on the table.

The High-Level Coordination Committee on the Prevention and Containment of COVID-19 on Saturday had recommended extending the current lockdown by one week.

After finding the cases of coronavirus from the foreign returnees, the country is in lockdown since March 24.

The government has extended the lockdown period four times so far, and the lockdown period of the fourth time is expiring on Monday morning.

The country’s once-busy market places are desolate, almost all shops are shuttered, borders are closed, and people have been asked to stay in their homes except to buy essentials.

Nepal has so far reported 49 COVID-19 cases and 12 patients have been discharged after recovery.