Nepal extends ban on international flights till May 31 as Covid cases surge

Nepal government has extended suspension on the operation of international flights till May 31 as coronavirus cases continue to rise at an alarming rate in the Himalayan nation

The Nepal government has extended suspension on operation of international flights till May 31 as coronavirus cases continue to rise at an alarming rate in the Himalayan nation.

The deadly virus has so far infected 413,111 people and claimed 4,084 lives in the country, which has a population of approximately 29.5 million.

The suspension period of international schedule flights has been extended till May 31, the Civil Aviation Authority said in a notification on Tuesday.

However, two weekly flights on the Kathmandu-Delhi sector -- one of Nepal Airlines and the other of Air India -- will remain operational under an air bubble arrangement between Nepal and India, it said.

Nepal had decided to halt all domestic flights from May 3 midnight and all international flights from May 7 midnight until May 14 to check the rapidly growing spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders in Kathmandu Valley that have been in place since April 29 to contain the spread of the coronavirus have been extended until May 27.