KATHMANDU: The government has extended the current nationwide lockdown for another eight days in an effort to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the country.

The lockdown, which was supposed to end on Tuesday (March 31), has been extended until April 07 (12 mid-night), government announced on Sunday.

A meeting of the cabinet held on Sunday made the decision to this effect.

The week-long lockdown enforced by the government is ending at 6 am on Tuesday.

This will have an impact on the international flights as well since the government has decided to extend the ban on international flights as well until April 15.

The government had earlier banned all international flights from March 22 to March 31.

The government has also instructed all the Chief District Officers to enforce the lockdown effectively.

Prior to the cabinet meeting, a meeting of the high-level coordination committee on the prevention and containment of COVID-19 had suggested the government to extend the lockdown by two weeks.

The government has also decided to allow the Nepali nationals stranded at the Nepal-India borders to enter the country on the basis of identification documents.

The government said that they will have to undergo mandatory quarantine after entering the country.

Meanwhile, the government has also warned it would take stringent action or up to a jail-term of six months to those defying the government’s orders of lockdown.

Likewise, the government has also announced what it calls a ‘special relief package’ for people affected owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the government has also asked the Nepal Rastra Banak to send necessary money to students abroad through their families.