Kathmandu, April 29 -- With a deadlier second wave taking root, Kathmandu Valley has enforced a weeklong lockdown effective today. The city, slowly returning to pre-Covid levels of activity and festivity, has once again ground to a halt with empty streets and centers in scenes similar to those of last year's shutdown.

All public and private cars will be off the roads for a week. Exceptions will be vehicles for food, water supply, ambulances and other essential services, medical personnel, journalists with press passes. Everyone entering Kathmandu by air or road will have to go into mandatory quarantine.

Restaurants, bars, pubs and public functions are suspended. Marriage ceremonies cannot have more than 15 guests. Food shops will be all...