KATHMANDU, March 20: Amid coronavirus outbreak fears, Nepal has requested India to send a rapid response team.

Speaking at a press conference at the Indian External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi Thursday, spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that Nepal has unofficially requested India to send a rapid response team.

Although there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nepal in recent months, the government has decided to enforce a number of measures to prevent a possible spread of the pandemic.

Nepal’s request to India comes a few days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country was ready to provide support to neighboring countries to prevent and contain COVID-19.

During a recent video conference among the SAARC leaders, Modi also proposed the 

SAARC members countries to set up a COVID-19 Emergency Fund to combat the deadly virus in South Asia. Modi also pledged $10 million for setting up the fund. 

The spokesperson at India’s MEA also said that health experts from the South Asian countries will meet via a video conference soon to chalk out further strategies to combat COVID-19.

 
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