Haiti - FLASH : Haiti bans all flights from 66 countries and closes its borders 16/03/2020 07:30:27
Sunday afternoon in Musseau at his official residence, the new Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe, took stock of the latest measures adopted in the context of prevention against the introduction and spread of Covid-19.
"In order to prevent any introduction of Coronavirus into the country, all flights from Europe [continental 47 countries: Albania, Germany, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus1, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, United Kingdom, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Vatican], from Canada and America Latin [18 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Uruguay, Venezuela] are suspended from midnight March 16, 2020".
However, he stressed that "flights from the United States are still authorized, after an agreement with the American authorities" specifying that "the American authorities will carry out screening tests before boarding the passengers. The Ministry of Public Health will also continue to test passengers arriving from the United States," adding that flights from New York and Miami among others, were being evaluated specifying that nevertheless "all travelers from the USA will have to bring a document proving that they have carried out a test [of Covid-19 screening] before their arrival in Haiti."
In addition, the new Minister of the Interior Audain F. Bernadel announced that "the Haitian-Dominican border will be closed from Monday March 16, 2020 at midnight and that only the goods will be able to enter Haiti and that the personnel ensuring the transport goods must be subjected to screening tests."
Dr. Patrick Dely of the Department of Epidemiology of Laboratories and Research said "Haiti is currently in stage 1 of the Coronavirus because the epidemic is not yet in Haiti and measures are being taken to avoid its introduction in the country" clarifying for the population that only the Ministry of Public Health was empowered to declare the presence of Covid-19 in Haiti.
Prime Minister Jouthe called on people to cooperate, and asked them to avoid crowds, hugs and unnecessary travel outside the country.
