April 5: The government has decided to carry out rapid tests for possible COVID-19 infection in the three districts where new cases of coronavirus were reported on Saturday (April 5). Among the three new infections reported in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Sudur Paschim Province, one case was a local transmission instead of an imported case seen before.    
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Saturday evening decided to carry out the rapid tests as it reviewed other measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Government spokesperson Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the Council of Ministers also decided to stop the mobility of people from one province to another, from one local level to another and from one district to another in order to check the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 1.2 million people and killed over 64,000 people as of Sunday morning.

Khatiwada, who is also the minister for finance as well as communication and information technology, further said that the provincial and local governments need to work more effectively to ensure strict implementation of the lockdown.    
The cabinet meeting also decided to make arrangement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the health workers immediately, recognizing their important role in the current situation, said the state-owned news agency RSS (Rastriya Samachar Samiti).

The government had earlier announced insurance scheme and other incentives for the health professionals.

"A decision has been taken to mobilize the health workers with complete safety, wipe out any other obstacles to their work and take legal action against anyone involved in endangering the security and well-being of the health workers," RSS quoted Minister Khatiwada as saying. According to him, all levels of government including the local administration need to ensure security to the health workers.