In view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country, the Home Ministry has directed all District Administration Offices to halt issuance of vehicle passes.

Issuing a circular on Wednesday, the ministry has directed the District Administration Offices all over the country not to issue vehicle passes from Thursday until further notice.

In line with the ministry directive, the Kathmandu District Administration Office said in a notice issued on Thursday that it will stop issuing passes to vehicles leaving and entering Kathmandu Valley effective from Thursday.

With the number of coronavirus cases rising at an alarming rate, the government on Tuesday had given District Administration Offices and local governments the authority to decide on restriction measures.

The government has also pushed back the start of air travel and long-distance travel by 15 days to September 1.

As of Wednesday, 24,432 persons have been infected with the coronavirus across the country. Of them, 6,438 got infected after the lifting of the lockdown. Among the 1,450 people who have been infected in Kathmandu Valley so far, 1,068 caught the virus after the end of lockdown.

Nepal saw its highest single-day Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday as eight people succumbed to the disease. So far 91 people have died of the coronavirus. A majority of these deaths have been reported since the lockdown was lifted three weeks ago.

According to the Ministry of Health, 51 have died since the nationwide lockdown was lifted on July 21, while there were 40 deaths during the four-months-long lockdown fro March 24 to July 21.