Ministry of Health: Timely Public Announcement

Three months have already elapsed since the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in China.  In this period, the disease has spread to all the continents at an alarming rate.  Over 100,000 people have been infected worldwide while over 4,000 infected patients have died so far.Not a single person has been infected in Eritrea to-date.  However, the country is linked by land, air, and sea with several countries affected by the disease.  This makes it urgent and imperative for Eritrea to take precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak and spread of the disease as well as to prepare for all possible scenarios.In view of these facts, the Ministry of Health issues the following guidelines:

1.    Continuous sensitization campaigns will be disseminated through the various local media outlets in order to provide timely and full information to the general public.  These announcements must be followed with due diligence.

2. In view of the potential gravity of the situation and for the sake of their own safety as well as the safety of the Eritrean people, the Ministry of Health urges all nationals and foreigners who may have plans to travel to, and from Eritrea, to postpone their plans on their own volition.

3. The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor developments earnestly to assess occurrence, rate and extent of contagion, and other vital parameters and symptoms of the epidemic. It will accordingly issue appropriate announcements and guidelines.

4. Visitors who originate directly from, or who have transited through, China, Italy, South Korea and Iran will be quarantined.

Ministry of Health
Asmara, 11 March 2020