Nepal

Fearing further spread of new Covid variant, Nepal issues indefinite ban on arrivals from UK

Fearing further spread of new Covid variant, Nepal issues indefinite ban on arrivals from UK

By THT Online

Stranded Nepali nationals arrive on Friday at the Tribhuvan International Airport from Myanmar on a chartered flight arranged by the government to rescue targeted set of 40,000 Nepalis stranded abroad in the first phase. Photo: Naresh Shrestha/THT

KATHMANDU: Fearing further spread of new Covid variant, Government of Nepal has restricted all arrivals from the United Kingdom until further notice. In a press release issued by the Department of Immigration today, it was notified that all foreign arrivals from the UK to Nepal have been suspended indefinitely. However, Nepali nationals and non-residential Nepalis (NRNs) upon obtaining permit from missions abroad can visit for emergency purposes. The rule also applies to the people arriving via UK as a point of transit. Likewise, the entry-exit points at the borders will continue to remain closed for foreign arrivals except for pre-approved entries. It has been learnt that six people who had recently returned from the UK had tested positive for Covid-19 and the speculation that the three samples which had come out negative for the s-gene target were carrying the new variant, has been confirmed in Nepal. Read here: Nepal confirms the first three cases of new Covid variant