Nepal has stopped the entry of people coming from India into the country after four Indian tourists tested positive for Covid and were sent back, amid a sharp surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the Himalayan nation.

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

Bipin Lekhak, Information officer at the Health Office in Baitadi, said the four Indian nationals tested positive for Covid and were told to return to India.

“We have also ramped up Covid testing on Indians,” said Mr Lekhak.

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

Baitadi district is at high risk as it shares a border with neighboring India. Currently, there are 31 active cases of coronavirus in Baitadi where not even a single case had been reported until three weeks ago.

India’s tally of Covid cases rose to 4,41,74,650 after 12,751 new coronavirus infections were reported in a day, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The death count climbed to 5,26,772 with 42 fatalities which includes 10 deaths, the data stated.

Nepal is currently witnessing a rapid increase in Covid cases with 1,090 new infections recorded across the country on Tuesday, according to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Population

This is the highest single-day increase in the past six months. As many as 438 recoveries and two deaths from the virus were recorded on the day. There are currently 5,874 active cases of Covid in Nepal.