Nepal police has arrested 10 people, including seven foreigners, on Saturday as demonstrations against the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis continued with hundreds of protesters gathering in the capital city Kathmandu, according to an officials.
The Himalayan nation imposed a complete lockdown since March 24 after the second COVID-19 case was reported.
The number of infections have since increased to 5,062, with 16 deaths, and the government has come under fire for not doing enough to contain the outbreak.
Thousands of people had gathered on a major thorough fare in Kathmandu for the third day, where seven foreign nationals were arrested, according to police officials
Earlier this week, police used baton charges, water cannons and tear gas to break up protests near the prime minister’s residence. No such clashes took place on Saturday.
Protesters are demanding better quarantine facilities, more tests and transparency in the purchase of medical supplies to fight the crisis.
On Wednesday, a Cabinet meeting decided to make the lockdown flexible and give momentum to economic and market activities that have been halted completely since the government imposed the nationwide lockdown on March 24 to prevent the spread of the virus.
In response to that, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokhrel said in a statement on Saturday, “The government is committed to increase tests, boost medical services and improve the quarantine facilities”.
The government has been facing complaints of loss of business, income and even lives due to harsh restrictions on public movement since more than two-and-a-half months.
On May 30, the government had extended the nationwide lockdown for the seventh time till June 14.