XINHUA 21 MAR 2020
Burundi has suspended commercial flights departing or landing at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport to bar the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
A press release signed on Saturday by Transport Minister Jean Bosco Ntunzwenimana stated that the suspension will be effective as from March 22 at 9:59 p.m. Burundi time (19:59 GMT).
“All international commercial flights departing or landing at the Melchior Ndadaye International Airport are suspended for a period of seven days to counter the COVID-19,” said Ntunzwenimana in the release.
He however indicated that only cargo flights, ambulance flights, flights with humanitarian purposes and diplomatic flights will be exempted from this decision.
“Their staff will however be subjected to medical control,” said Ntunzwenimana.
This measure follows other decisions taken earlier this week.
They include the measure of suspending the delivery of visas until further notice — a measure announced on Thursday by Burundian Foreign Affairs Minister Ezechiel Nibigira in a meeting with diplomats accredited to Burundi and representatives of international organizations.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Burundian government suspended overseas business travels by government officials to bar the novel coronavirus.
So far, no COVID-19 case has been reported in Burundi. Enditem
