Kathmandu, Aug. 3 -- The Health Ministry on Monday requested the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre either to ensure physical distancing at hotels and restaurants as well as roadside eateries or shut them down completely.

The ministry request comes amid a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in Kathmandu Valley.

Public health officials consider hotels, restaurants and roadside eateries as potential infection hotbeds, since they have not been enforcing social distancing rules and other public health measures among their patrons.

"If hotels, restaurants and roadside eateries are not managed or shut down completely, it will be very difficult to curb new infections," said Dr Sameer Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the Health Minis...