Nepal has stopped the entry of people coming from India after four Indian tourists tested positive for Covid-19 and were sent back.

The four Indian tourists had entered Nepal via the Jhulaghat border point in Baitadi district of western Nepal.

Bipin Lekhak, information officer at the health office in Baitadi, said: “We have also ramped up Covid-19 testing on Indians.”

Many Nepali citizens who returned from India have tested positive for Covid-19, he said, adding that the officials have halted the entry of Indian tourists into Nepal due to a spike in infections.

Currently, there are 31 active cases of coronavirus in Baitadi where not even a single case had been reported until three weeks ago.

At present, Nepal is witnessing a rapid increase in Covid-19 cases, with 1,090 new infections recorded across the country on Tuesday, according to data released by the ministry of health and population.

This is the highest single-day increase in the past six months.