KATHMANDU, March 5: The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has decided not to hold any big gatherings, meetings and conventions of the party until further notice in view of the coronavirus outbreak in various countries. 

Organizing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Sanepa on Wednesday, NC spokesman Bishwa Prakash Sharma said the party would not hold any kinds of big gatherings, meetings and conventions until further notice starting from Wednesday. He said that the party made the decision in view of the warning by the World Health Organization (WHO) that Nepal is among the countries that are highly vulnerable to the COVID-19 coronavirus. The new virus has already killed over 3,200 people and infected over 94,000 people in 60 countries.

Sharma, however, said that internal works and functions related to renewal and distribution of party membership as a part of the preparation of the 14th general convention of the party will be continued by their respective party committees. The party has also decided to launch awareness and campaigns about the coronavirus epidemic across the country. 

Earlier, the NC had urged the government to make a ‘comprehensive national initiative’ to deal with the imminent threat of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking during the press conference, NC spokesman Sharma also criticized the government for taking ‘lackadaisical attitude toward’ enhancing Nepal’s preparedness to deal with the new virus. 

The NC has urged the government to further strengthen measures to ensure universal health screenings of all incoming passengers at the Tribhuvan International Airport and the major immigration checkpoints. Similarly, the main opposition party has also asked the government to enhance the capacity of health facilities to tackle a possible emergency.

 
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