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Qatar Bans Travellers from 14 Countries Amid Rising Coronavirus Cases

The Qatari government is assuring the public that they are "taking all preventive measures" to limit the virus' spread.

In an attempt to prevent further spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Qatar has closed its borders to passenger planes coming from 14 different countries.
The health ministry assured the public that they are taking “all necessary preventive measures” to limit the spread of the dreaded disease.
Schools and university classes have likewise been cancelled in the country from March 10 and onwards.

Qatar has recently announced a temporary travel restriction, banning the entry of travelers from 14 different countries. The said decision has been made to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, reports said.

According to an official announcement by the Ministry of Health, the temporary ban will be implemented from February 24 to March 9. This means passengers bound to Doha with travel history from the countries in question will not be permitted.

The countries included in the travel ban are:

Bangladesh
China
India
Iran
Iraq
South Korea
Lebanon
Nepal
Pakistan
Philippines
Sri Lanka
Syria
Thailand

The statement explained:

“The step comes in line with the State of Qatar’s efforts to take all necessary preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus… The decision affects all individuals intending to enter from these countries, including visas upon arrival, those with a residence or work permit, and temporary visitors.”

On top of that, Qatar Airways has also halted flights to and from Italy, one of the countries that are badly-affected by the virus.

Classes in schools and universities have also been suspended in the country from March 10 “until further notice,” reported the Qatar News Agency.

As of this writing, Qatar has 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Across the world, we now have 114,458 infected individuals and 4,027 deaths with China, Italy and South Korea having the most number of casualties.

Health experts are continually reminding the public to observe proper hand hygiene and cough etiquette.