Prevent Covid-19, Sudan Closes Airports and Borders

Khartoum, MINA – The Sudanese government through the Transitional Honorary Council on Monday Evening, March 16 announced a National Emergency and closed all airport operations, ports, border land lines, except humanitarian aid travel activities.

The spokesman for the Transitional Honorary Board, Mohamed Al-Fakih Suleiman, said that the Security and Defense Council decided, at yesterday’s meeting, to declare a state of health emergency in all parts of the country, to deal with the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Mohamed said to follow all previous ministerial decrees, a high committee had been formed to put all measures towards preventing diseases entering the country, the MINA Correspondent in Khartoum reported.

He noted the committee held its first meeting, and stressed the decision to close all access in and out, except for flights that carry humanitarian assistance and technical support as well as air cargo flights that have been previously scheduled.

Mohamed stressed the development of all the steps needed to receive residents who were stranded at the crossing, and prepare a place of observation for those infected with the virus.

Furthermore, all decisions are preventive to prevent the spread of disease outbreaks into this country.

Earlier, the Sudanese government on Sunday, had taken swift steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus by shutting down all learning and teaching activities for all colleges and schools for one month, starting Sunday.

The fast step was taken by Sudan following the death of a citizen who died of coronavirus on Thursday in a hospital in the city of Khartoum. The victim had previously traveled by plane from Abu Dhabi to Khartoum through the international airport of Khartoum, in early March.

It was done to minimize the activities of residents in open spaces.

The Government of Sudan on Thursday, through the Civil Aviation Authority of Sudan also issued a temporary ban on Sudanese citizens and other citizens to travel to Egypt, China, Iran, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, and France,

Likewise, airplane passengers arriving from the eight countries were temporarily not allowed to land at Sudan’s airports.

The government also previously closed flights with eight countries and closed land crossings with Egypt, due to a coronavirus outbreak. The eight countries are Egypt, China, Iran, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea and France. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)