Seychelles’ Public Health Authority revised its travel advisory to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The new rules include: No persons from Seychelles apart from returning residents are allowed to travel to China, including the Special Administrative Region (SAR), South Korea, Italy, and Iran with immediate effect.
South Korea, Iran, and Italy are the three hotspots outside China. In the latest update on Tuesday, South Korea which has the biggest outbreak outside China has reported 1,146 cases and Iran has 95 cases.
Italy has the highest number of infections outside of Asia.
The Public Health Authority said that “local trade partners have been advised to give all visitors from China, including the SAR South Korea, Italy, and Iran who were planning to visit Seychelles in the coming weeks and months, the opportunity to cancel or postpone their holiday at no cost.”
All foreign workers who are presently in China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran and were planning to return to Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, are also directed to postpone their return travel until further notice.
Other measures include Air Seychelles inbound flights not boarding any passengers or crew — except returning Seychellois nationals and residents — who have been to China including the SAR, South Korea, Italy, and Iran in the last 14 days.
The same applies to people traveling by sea because “any person arriving in Seychelles by sea (except returning Seychellois nationals and residents) will not be allowed to disembark if they have been to China, (including the SAR), South Korea, Italy, and Iran in the last 14 days.
Furthermore, any marine vessel will not be allowed to enter Seychelles waters if any passenger on board has been to China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran in the last 14 days.
All returning residents who have been to China, including the SAR South Korea, Italy and Iran will be put under obligatory quarantine for 14 days upon the arrival.
While the number of cases continues to increase in China, cases are being registered in new countries. To date, there are close to 80,000 confirmed cases in 30 countries but most cases remain in China. Almost a third of all the confirmed cases have recovered so far.
Source: Seychelles News Agency
