Kathmandu, Jan 9 (PTI) Nepal has reported 1,167 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, prompting the country's COVID-19 taskforce to issue a slew of recommendations such as restrictions on gatherings, closure of schools and making vaccination cards mandatory at public places to stem the surge in infections.

According to data furnished by the Ministry of Health, Nepal has reported 1,167 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, with 224 recoveries and two deaths.

Also Read | Cryptocurrency Scam: Pakistanis Lose Millions to Massive Fraud Worth $100 Million.

As on Sunday, the Himalayan nation's coronavirus tally touched 930,004 cases. Currently, there are 6,848 active cases and 11,604 deaths reported.

The Health Ministry has also confirmed 27 cases of the Omicron variant.

Also Read | Brazil: 6 Killed, 30 Injured After Major Cliff Wall Collapses on Tourist Boats in Furnas Lake.

The COVID-19 Crisis Management Coordination Centre (CCMCC), a government body constituted to tackle the pandemic situation in the country, on Sunday issued a series of recommendations, which included restrictions on gatherings of more than 25 people.

The CCMCC has also asked the government to close schools till January 29. It urged students to get vaccinated as the vaccination drive for children between the ages of 12 to 17 had begun in Kathmandu from Sunday.

It asked has the Home Ministry to make vaccination cards mandatory for people to receive public services from January 17.

“To enter public places like offices, hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, stadiums, airports and parks, among others, members of the public must furnish their vaccination cards,” it said.

The taskforce has also urged political parties to refrain from organising mass gatherings.

All these recommendations will come into effect only after the concerned ministries give their approval.

“The Chief District officers will be authorised to impose further restrictions in line with the smart lockdown procedures evaluating the situation in their respective districts,” CCMCC spokesperson Sunita Nepal said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)