Amid the Spread of Omicron, Neighboring Countries on Alert... "Cooperation with China Will Be Helpful"

On the 7th (local time), medical staff are caring for COVID-19 patients in a temporary COVID-19 ward in New Delhi, the capital of India. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] As the COVID-19 situation in India worsens again recently, neighboring countries are also under threat.

On the 7th (local time), India's daily new COVID-19 cases were recorded at 414,188. This is about 2,000 more than the previous day's new cases, setting another record high.

Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India, neighboring countries sharing borders with India have also raised alarms. According to major foreign media on the 6th (local time), Nepal's daily new COVID-19 cases as of the previous day reached 6,700, more than six times the number two weeks ago (1,100). Currently, 20 COVID-19 infection cases per 100,000 people are being reported, which is a similar figure to India two weeks ago.

According to government statistics cited by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 44% of COVID-19 tests conducted in Nepal last week returned positive results. In response, Netra Prasad Timilsina, President of the Nepal Red Cross, warned, "If the current spread of COVID-19 is not controlled, the horrific situation happening in India will become Nepal's future."

The daily new COVID-19 cases in India and Nepal have surged sharply since April.
[Photo by CNN]

Nepal, which shares a border with India, allows free movement without requiring passports or identification cards, raising concerns that it is effectively exposed to infection without defenses.

Samir Adhikari, spokesperson for Nepal's Ministry of Health and Welfare, also warned, "The situation is worsening day by day and may become uncontrollable in the future." He added, "In recent weeks, some Indians hoping to escape their country have come to Nepal to receive medical services," suggesting that the recent worsening of Nepal's COVID-19 spread is partly influenced by India.

The Nepalese government belatedly strengthened border controls and announced lockdown measures in some areas including the capital Kathmandu, but these actions have been criticized as too late.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh also reported 1,882 new cases on the same day, showing an increasing trend in daily new COVID-19 cases among countries surrounding India.

Experts argue that to prevent the spread of infection, it is necessary to strengthen border controls, limit human exchanges with India, and seek support from the international community. Considering the vulnerable healthcare systems and vaccine shortages in nearby Southeast Asian countries, they could quickly fall into a serious situation.

In fact, according to government announcements, Nepal currently has only about 1,500 intensive care beds, fewer doctors per capita than India, and a significantly lower vaccination rate.

Teng Guangchang, a medical expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the state-run Global Times in an interview, "These countries need international assistance before the situation worsens," adding, "Many Southeast Asian countries are facing the challenge of a new COVID-19 outbreak." He also emphasized cooperation with China on vaccine production and procurement, stating that collaboration with China could be helpful.

Earlier, Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, stated during a video conference on the 27th of last month with foreign ministers from five South Asian countries?Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka?that China hopes to provide stable vaccine supplies to these countries within the framework of a cooperation mechanism.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.