Nepal reports 2 new coronavirus cases; total at 16

Nepal reported two new coronavirus cases on Tuesday taking the total number of infected persons in the country to 16.

The two new cases are related living in the same apartment in east Kathmandu, the Ministry of Health and Population said.

The new coronavirus patients -- a 58-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman -- returned to Kathmandu from London last month.

Another member of the same family has tested negative for corona. The new patients are being treated in isolation.

The Nepal government has imposed nationwide lockdown till April 15, which is most likely to get extended.

"The lockdown will not be lifted any time soon," Prime Minister KP Oli said during his video conference with chief ministers of all seven provinces.

Globally, the novel coronavirus has killed over 120,000 people and infected over 1.8 million people.