Eritrea’s confirmed COVID-19 cases now hits four

Eritrea banned all commercial flights to and from Asmara for two weeks after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. — Eritrea banned all commercial flights to and from Asmara for the coming two weeks after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

BY TESFANEWS

Eritrea’s Health Ministry announced today new COVID-19 cases after three passengers who arrived in Asmara from Dubai via flight Air Arebi on Monday 23rd March 2020 were diagnosed positive for COVID-19.

That puts the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to four. All are Eritrean nationals.

Eritrea’s first confirmed case was a 39-year-old Eritrean national who arrived in the country from Norway via Dubai on Saturday, March 21, 2020.

Consequently, the Eritrean gov’t banned all commercial flights to and from the country banned as of March 25, 2020.

The ban shall remain effective for the next two weeks.

The Ministry further noted that, besides the passengers, all those with whom the patient(s) had physical contact have been placed under quarantine as well.

“All the patients are receiving the necessary treatment and remain in satisfactory condition,” adds the latest announcement from the Eritrean Ministry of Health.

On Monday, Eritrea also banned social gatherings of more than ten people, whether it is a cultural, social, or religious gathering.

Excerpts of today’s announcement are as follows:

Ministry of Health: Public Announcement No. 4

1) Three passengers who arrived in Asmara from Dubai with flight Air Arebi on [Monday] 23 March at 5:00 a.m. local time, were diagnosed positive for COVID-19, today. All three passengers are Eritrean nationals resident in the country. This puts the total number of infected individuals, to-date, to four.

The passengers who were on the same flight with the patients and all those who came in physical contact with them have been quarantined. All the patients are receiving the necessary treatment at Villagio Hospital (Asmara) and remain in satisfactory condition.

2) In this connection, commercial passenger flights to and from Eritrea will not be allowed from midnight today, (25 March 2020). The ban will remain effective for two weeks until further review.

3) The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor developments and trends regarding COVID-19 and issue, as necessary, further information and guidelines.

Ministry of Health
Asmara
25 March 2020