Nepal suspends visa on arrival services, amid coronavirus outbrek

ANI

Kathmandu, NepalUpdated: Mar 14, 2020, 04:00 PM IST

Despite being a small nation, Nepal was never colonised by any country. It has always been a sovereign nation and served as a buffer state between Imperial China and British India in the past. So, Nepal does not have an Independence Day. Photograph:(ANI)

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The Nepal government has also imposed mandatory self-quarantine of 14 days for those arriving in the Himalayan nation.

The Nepal government on Friday announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services till April 30 as part of the measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The suspension will come into effect from Saturday, Immigration Department spokesperson Chandra Tiwari told ANI.

Also Read: Coronavirus outbreak: First case reported in Nepal, ministry of health confirms

The department has issued a 10-point updated travel advisory where it introduced sweeping measures to contain the spread of the disease which has now been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

The country has also halted all mountaineering expeditions, including Mount Everest ascents.

"This is to notify that climbing permits for the expedition that have already been issued or to be issued for the Spring season 2020, has been halted to the present, in accordance with the decision made on 12th March 2020 by a high-level committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Government of Nepal," the release from the Department of Tourism stated.

Also Read: WHO warns Nepal over Coronavirus

In addition, the government has also imposed mandatory self-quarantine of 14 days for those arriving in the Himalayan nation.

The country had previously announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services for only eight coronavirus-affected countries of Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, and Spain.