Only 25 people are allowed to gather at festivals, weddings, other life rituals, and funerals, under the new guidelines issued after a cabinet meeting on Monday. The Himalayan country saw a spike in infections in many districts in recent days.

Passengers have been banned from standing in public transport and they all must wear masks. Drivers and conductors of buses were asked to keep extra masks for passengers on a fixed charge.

Hotels and restaurants can open only from 8 am to 8 pm and must observe health safety protocols like seating at two meters distance, and not allowing entry to anyone without masks.

However, the government has permitted schools and colleges to conduct pre-scheduled examinations besides they follow all health guidelines and safety measures.

The government also asked the provincial and district administrations to step up screening of the people coming from other countries. The government has decided to allocate extra resources to local administration for these preparations.