The Kathmandu Valley Mayors’ Forum has urged the COVID-19 Crisis Management Center (CCMC) to issue a stringent restrictions on human movement after the upcoming Tihar and Chhath festivals are over.

The meeting held between officials of the Mayor’s Forum and officials of CCMC on Wednesday discussed that a strict prohibitory order was necessary to control the rising rate of COVID infection in the Kathmandu Valley, informed Secretary of the Mayor’s Forum Madan Sundar Shrestha.

Shrestha added that CCMC officials would discuss and propose the modalities of restrictions and prohibitory order at the next meeting.

Wednesday’s meeting also focused on the worsening risks posed by increasing COVID cases due to the lack of coordination between local levels and the federal government in controlling the epidemic.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokharel, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal urged the mayors of the valley to move forward in coordination and bring the situation under control.

Stating that about 53 percent of the country’s total COVID-19 cases are from the Kathmandu Valley, the meeting highlighted the need for effective efforts to prevent a second wave of infection, mobilizing community and establishing health desks at various checkpoints in the valley, effective public awareness drives from the local levels, and conducting door-to-door programs to curb the spread of the virus.

Likewise, discussions were also held on ways to reduce COVID-19 mortality rate, insisting on home isolation for those with normal symptoms, making beds ICU beds available to critically ill COVID-19 patients as well as coordination between all local levels.