The Ethiopian Airlines said all passengers entering Ethiopia as of Monday will be placed in a mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
As part of the efforts to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Government on Friday decided to quarantine all passengers arriving Ethiopia for 14 days at their own personal cost.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the airlines said “passengers entering Ethiopia after 00:10 am of March 23 will be placed in a mandatory quarantine at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel for 14 days.”
Additional hotel will be selected and advised in due course. Diplomats will be quarantined at their respective embassies, it added.
According to the airlines, the 14 days’ quarantine does not apply to transit passengers. Transit passengers holding connecting flight booking will stay at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel until their connecting flight.
So far, Ethiopia has reported nine infections of COVID-19 since Friday March 13, 2020 after a Japanese citizen was tasted positive for the virus.
The Ethiopian government also decided to release mother prisoners and others whose probationary period nears to end and those who were arrested for minor crimes.
The government also ordered nightclubs and bars to cease operation temporarily due to the pandemic.
MG/abj/APA