As a measure to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has halted the distribution of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to students aspiring for abroad studies.
Releasing a notice yesterday, the Ministry informed that issuance of NOCs to all coronavirus affected countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Italy, and Iran has been halted until further notice following the decision made by yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, NOCs will still be issued on a regular basis for countries that are not affected by the virus as per the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation.
In his opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 yesterday, Director-General of WHO, Tedros Adhanom, said, “More than 130 countries have not detected any cases yet…WHO is advising countries on actions they can take for each of the “three Cs” scenarios – first case, first cluster, first evidence of community transmission. The basic actions in each scenario are the same, but the emphasis changes depending on which scenario a country is in.”
He added, “Our message to all countries is: this is not a one-way street. We can push this virus back. Your actions now will determine the course of the outbreak in your country. There’s no choice but to act now.”
International Summary
- The WHO says the virus is “unique” but stresses it can be contained
- US President Donald Trump urges pharmaceutical companies to develop a vaccine quickly
- Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal confirm their first cases
- South Korea has reported 477 new cases and three more deaths
- Australia’s central bank cuts interest rates in response to outbreak
- Twitter tells staff in Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea to work from home
- Hong Kong to fly 533 residents back from Wuhan
