Coronavirus : Kathmandu administration issues public advisory against mass gathering

The district administration in Kathmandu has issued a public advisory asking people to not organise or attend mass gatherings as a precautionary measure to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The local body has also cancelled all the permits issued for organising fairs or celebrations particularly for the festival of Holi.

"The coronavirus (COVID-19) which started spreading out from neighbouring China is now taking a form of an epidemic and the World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled Nepal to be at high risk of being infected. Along with the government of Nepal, it has advised the country to adopt precautionary measures. In this context, it is requested to all not to organize any kind of celebrations, feast, occasions (particularly Holi) and not to be present on those events until further notice," a release from the District Administration Office stated.

Earlier on Sunday, the government of Nepal requested the public to limit their daily outdoor activities even though no second positive case of coronavirus was confirmed in the Himalayan nation.

Subsequently, Nepal's foremost franchise T20 tournament Everest Premier League (EPL) was postponed.

Everest Premier League postponed due to coronavirus fears. The Everest Premier League (EPL), Nepal's foremost franchise T20 tournament, has been postponed following a government directive to refrain from mass gatherings amid fears about the transmission of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

"We are naturally all sad at today's announcement of having to temporarily postpone the 2020 EPL, but we simply have to put the health and well-being of all Nepalis and our overseas players before anything else. It was crucial that we announced this decision now at the earliest possible juncture to ensure the minimum possible disruption to all of our stakeholders, who are integral parts of the ongoing success and growth of the league," Aamir Akhtar, the founder and Managing Director of the EPL, said in a statement.

He added, "We would like to thank the Government of Nepal for their support and counsel through this challenging period, and we support entirely the professional advice throughout."

Earlier, a 32-year-old Nepali student who came from Wuhan, China- the epicenter of coronavirus, tested positive, making Nepal the first nation in South Asia to be infected with the virus.

Over 80 people have undergone the test for the virus in Nepal and nearly 20 people are kept in isolation. However, of the 20, no positive case has been confirmed as of now.