Nepal sees highest daily fatalities from COVID-19

Nepal on Monday reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths, the highest number of single-day fatalities, while the infections exceeded 55,000 in the country, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The death toll has now risen to 360 after the capital Kathmandu recorded eight more fatalities on Monday, Jageshwor Gautam said at a news briefing. The rest of the fatalities were recorded from across the country.

Around 1,170 people were infected from the disease over the last 24 hours, according to Gautam.

So far 39,576 people have recovered since the outbreak was first reported in the country on Jan. 24, he added.

Last week, Nepal loosened the lockdown in Kathmandu, allowing extended hours for essential businesses and transport to resume.

After a four-month lockdown until mid-July, the federal government has allowed local authorities to impose lockdown in their jurisdictions on the basis of reported cases of coronavirus.