The government has decided not to resume long-haul bus services and domestic flights until September 16.

A Cabinet meeting took the decision to that effect in light of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.

“We have decided to continue the restrictions on long-distance vehicles and domestic flights until September 16,” said Lekhraj Bhatta, minister for industry, commerce and supplies. “Earlier the government’s plan was to resume domestic flights and long-haul bus services from August 17, but due to the increase in the virus cases we have decided to continue the restrictions.”

An earlier plan to resume long-haul public transport and domestic flights from August 17 was postponed until August 31.

Nepal recorded its highest single-day Covid-related death toll on Sunday with 14 people losing their life to the disease. The national toll is now 221.

Similarly, the national tally of cases reached 38,561 after 1,221 new cases—the highest single-day count so far—were confirmed in the past 24 hours.

Kathmandu Valley reported a record 429 new infections, with 372 cases in Kathmandu district, 45 in Bhaktapur and 12 in Lalitpur, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.

According to the ministry, ten men and four women succumbed to the disease in the past 24 hours

Chartered and regular international passenger flights, however, will resume from September 1.

Only Nepalis and representatives of diplomatic missions, the United Nations and development partners will be allowed to fly into Nepal, with restrictions on foreign tourists until further notice, the government said on August 21.

The government, however, has decided to increase the number of rescue and chartered international flights after the criticism from Nepali missions abroad claiming that would delay in rescuing stranded Nepali workers.

On March 20, the government had banned all passengers, including Nepalis, from entering the country from the European Union territories, including the United Kingdom, West Asia, Gulf countries and countries like Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.

Four days later, it had imposed a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The lockdown was lifted on July 21. But after there was a sudden spike in the number of Covid-19 cases, district administrators were allowed to take their own measures like issuing prohibitory orders to contain the spread of the virus.

Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur of Kathmandu Valley, too, have been under prohibitory orders since August 18 midnight. The prohibitory orders, initially declared for a week, have been extended until September 2.

An official familiar with the government plans, however, said prohibitory orders in the Valley could be extended again.