In Nepal, the total number of COVID-19 cases reached to 304 after nine more persons tested positive today. The condition of all new patients is reported to be normal. There are 266 active cases in Nepal, while 36 patients have been recovered so far. Two persons lost their lives due to corona virus till date.

Meanwhile, Nepal government has extended ongoing nationwide lockdown till June 2. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held in Kathmandu last evening. The High Level Coordination Committee to prevent and control COVID-19 recommended the government on Sunday to extend lockdown for 15 days in view of the rising number of corona virus cases.

Meanwhile, Nepal government has extended ongoing nationwide lockdown till June 2. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held in Kathmandu recently.

Earlier in the day the High Level Coordination Committee to prevent and control COVID-19 recommended the government to continue lockdown for 15 days in view of the rising number of Coronavirus cases.

Other news update, in Sri Lanka, 21 people tested positive of COVID-19 yesterday bringing the number of active cases to 434. Most of the new cases are from navy personnel. A whopping 538 out of total 981 patients have recovered and have been discharged from hospital, bringing the recovery rate to over 55 percent. There has been 670 cases since April 22nd and over 550 of them are navy personnel and their contacts. However, over 180 of navy personnel have already been discharged after recovery. The country is slowly returning back to normal with day curfew lifted from 23 out of 25 districts. The high risk districts are still under curfew but public and private offices are working.

Meanwhile, in the country, as the COVID crisis is forcing thousands of migrant workers abroad to return home, the government has urged them to carefully calibrate the effect repatriation could have on their jobs and education, before making decisions.

Foreign ministry said, in a statement that a cabinet paper presented by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena aims to bring back the migrant workers which need to come, but more so in some cases which have to come.

It said some of them, as a result of being illegal do not have access to the health facilities while there are many who have been thrown out of jobs. The government called upon them to make a very careful assessment of their essential needs, as against just wanting to come for the short term.

The statement came as around 39,000 Sri Lankans stuck in 143 countries at present seek to return home. This comprised of over 3,000 students, 4,000 short term visa holders and 27,000 migrant workers. Lakhs of Sri Lankans are employed particularly in gulf countries and COVID has adversely affected their livelihood as well as the valuable foreign remittances they contribute to Sri Lankan economy.