Valley CDOs suggest to close schools for two weeks

KATHMANDU: Chief District Officers of the Kathmandu Valley have suggested closing all the schools at least for two weeks in view of the increasing cases of COVID-19.

They made this suggestion arguing that students of the school-going age group are getting infected at an alarming rate, of late.

The CDOs of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur said that the schools should be closed for some days to curb the increasing cases in the students in a meeting of the District COVID-19 Crisis Management Center (DCMC) on Sunday.

CDO Kali Prasad Parajuli said the meeting dwelled on the shutdown of the crowed places including schools since the Ministry of Health and Population has labeled the Kathmandu Valley as the highly affected district.

“Schools should be closed at least for two weeks,” said he.

He is of the view that a further decision could be made in case the infection cases do not subside.

A CCMC meeting on Saturday had recommended closing schools. A cabinet will take a final call on whether to close schools or not.

As many as 435 persons have been infected with COVID-19 in the Kathmandu Valley in the last 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, there have been 326 cases in Kathmandu, 64 in Lalitpur, and 45 in Bhaktapur in the past 24  hours.

Meanwhile, Nepal recorded a total of 1,096 new cases of coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours.