KATHMANDU, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has imposed restrictions on international flights originating from or transiting through Britain after the identification of a new strain of coronavirus in the European country, Civil Aviation of Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said.
"This is of your urgent attention to ensure that the aircraft bound to Nepal shall not board passengers originating from or transiting through the United Kingdom (UK) due to severe new strain of the Coronavirus in the UK," the CAAN, the aviation sector regulator, said in a notice issued in the name of international airlines operating in Nepal on Tuesday.
"The entry restriction for such passengers into Nepal shall be effective from 23:59 hours (local time) of December 23 until further notice."
The new strain of the coronavirus in Britain is considered to be up to 70 percent more infectious than the strain of the original virus. A number of countries around the world have already imposed restrictions on travel from Britain to prevent the transmission of the new variant of coronavirus, and Nepal has joined the group.
Nepal does not have direct air links with Britain but the Nepali authorities feared potential transmission of the virus through passengers who transit through Britain to come to Nepal. Enditem
