The Nepal government has ruled out any immediate nationwide lockdown saying such measures cannot ultimately solve issues related to the coronavirus pandemic, The Himalayan Times reported.  

However, a senior minister claimed that there could be partial lockdowns in the hotspots if the case count piles up.

Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said the government is not contemplating any such move at the moment to combat the fast-spreading infection.

"Lockdown only breaks the chain for a while and pushes the inevitable little further, it is not the solution," Gyawali, also the spokesperson of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (UML), told mediapersons on Sunday.

"For now we urge the citizens to rigorously follow necessary health protocols," he said.

Gayawali said the government does not want any action that would adversely hit the economy, which is just about recovering from the earlier lockdowns, The Himalayan Times report said.

However, if coronavirus cases keep on increasing, the government can enforce partial lockdown in Covid-19 Hotspots, he said.

The Himalayan country has recorded over 300,000 infections and 3,176 deaths due to the virus. On Sunday itself, there were 3,032 fresh cases, while 28 perished.