Nepal schools to shut down for three weeks amid a surge in Covid cases

In response to rising Covid cases in Nepal, the COVID-19 Crisis Management Committee (CCMC), the government body on Sunday proposed a ban on gatherings of more than 25 people in public spaces. They also announced the closing down of schools till January 29.

A meeting of CCMC summoned in wake of rising COVID infection in the nation proposed suggestions which would need to undergo cabinet approval to be implemented.

With schools closing down, the body has requested the Ministry of Health and Population to supply vaccines for students in the age group of 12-17. 

The body has also decided to make vaccination cards compulsory to enter public places such as government offices, hotels, cinema halls, stadiums and domestic flights, effective from January 17. 

As neighbouring country, India is witnessing a spike in Covid cases, authorities have said that necessary arrangements will be made to make the process of testing effective at border points.

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Accordingly, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has been recommended to reduce the congestion in flights at both domestic and international airports. The body has made it mandatory for the passengers to carry negative RT-PCR reports. 

Quarantine has been made mandatory for passengers arriving from and transiting South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Malawi and Hong Kong.

Earlier, CPN-Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal along with nearly a dozen senior leaders have tested positive for the deadly coronavirus which has forced major political figures including Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to isolate.

For the first time in four months, Nepal recorded over 1,000 daily new Covid cases on Sunday, as many as 24 new Omicron cases have been confirmed in the country so far.