Focused COVID-19 Media Monitoring, Nepal (November 29, 2021)

Emerging Theme(s):
• World Health Organization has named the new variant of COVID-19 discovered in South Africa Omicron, has called it ‘virus of concern’; world in alarm over the new variant; many countries have banned flights and travelers from 8 South African countries; South Africa has complained that it is being ‘punished’ with travel bans for having detected the strain first; World Trade Organization has postponed its meeting scheduled from November 30
• Nepal has decided to ban entry of South African citizens in the wake of outbreak of a new variant of concern Omicron; World Health Organization has asked Nepal and other countries in Southeast Asian Region to be prepared against the new variant of COVID-19; health desk at the Tribhuvan International Airport put on alert; everyone urged to keep following health safety protocols; no new variant has been confirmed in Nepal in gene sequencing done as of now
• Nepal reported 154 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths on November 28
• Experts have suggested that Nepal take immediate decision on WHO-approved booster dose as frontliners and those with underlying medical conditions need to be given the dose
• Caution and adhering to all safety health protocols advised even if one is fully vaccinated to be safe from infection as vaccine does not provide 100 per cent safety from COVID-19 infection

Source: World Health Organization