Kathmandu, July 9 -- Nepal has been spared the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic so far, and Kathmandu Valley has been among the least affected areas of the country. But there has been a worrying increase in the capital since the lockdown was partially eased two weeks ago.

The detection of 23 new cases on Wednesday has brought the tally to 288, with 190 in Kathmandu, 53 in Bhaktapur and 45 in Lalitpur districts. From Thursday, three wards of Lalitpur's Mahalaxmi Municipality have been put under strict lockdown after nine people were tested positive in those localities this week.

Public health officer Tek Raj Ojha said the nine were all returnees from abroad, patients at hospitals, and two were health workers themselves. They have been kept...