A Cabinet meeting has been scheduled for later on Sunday, which is expected to take a decision on the lockdown.

“The meeting today will discuss and decide on whether to extend the lockdown,” said an aide to Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ishwar Pokhrel, who also heads the high-level coordination committee to combat Covid-19.

The Health Ministry on Saturday proposed two options—either continue with the ongoing nationwide lockdown for at least a week or authorise the seven provincial governments to decide on their own individual measures to combat Covid-19.

Health Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal floated the two proposals at a meeting of the high-level coordination committee to combat Covid-19.

Similarly, a task force led by Chief Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi also recommended extending the lockdown by at least a week.

The task force has secretaries of various ministries and chiefs of security agencies.

The nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of Covid-19 has been in force since March 24 and the current extension ends on Monday midnight.

Given the rise in the number of cases in the country over the last weeks and India’s lockdown until May 3, officials said the lockdown is likely to be extended by at least a week.

Nepal so far has reported 51 Covid-19 cases, with 12 recoveries.