Egypt bans entry of all Qataris over Coronavirus

Ahram Online , Wednesday 4 Mar 2020

Qatar banned Sunday travelers from Egypt due to Coronavirus fears

Egypt international airport
Egypt international airport

Egypt's government has decided to bar the entry of all Qatari nationals starting Friday, 6 March, as a precautionary measure to face the coronavirus outbreak, the cabinet said on Wednesday.

The ban, which applies to those who have valid residency, will remain in place until further notice, cabinet spokesperson Nader Saad said in a statement.

"In light of what Qatar has decided as to prohibiting entry for travelers who hold the Egyptian nationality...as part of precautionary measures to confront the coronavirus, [we] decided to implement the principle of reciprocity," the spokesman said.

Qatar on Sunday imposed a temporary ban on entry by visitors from Egypt through intermediate points because of the spread of the flu-like virus.

There have been no direct flights between Qatar and Egypt since June 2017 when Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain cut diplomatic, trade and transport ties with the Gulf state over charges it supports terrorism, accusations Doha has denied.

According to a Coronavirus report released by the World Health Organisation Tuesday, Qatar recorded seven cases of the virus from Iran, whereas Egypt detected two cases based on entry from abroad.

One of those two cases confirmed in Egypt has recovered, while the other, a foreign national, is still undergoing treatment in a quarantine hospital in the coastal govenorate of Marsa Matrouh, north of Cairo.

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