(3 minutes read)
· Ethiopian airlines (Ethiopian) has trimmed flights to 30
countries due to coronavirus (COVID-19), effective from Friday March
20
· Africa’s most known airlines have incurred losses to the
extent of US $190 million, which many consider is the biggest crisis
in the history of aviation in any African country.
Ethiopian airlines (Ethiopian) has trimmed flights to 30 countries due
to coronavirus (COVID-19), effective from Friday March 20. Even while
coronavirus was at its peak, Ethiopian serviced its China route. That
time most African airlines had suspended operations to and from the
country. Ethiopia currently has nine confirmed cases and tests are
being run on hundreds of suspected cases.
It is reported in certain sections of media that Africa’s most known
airlines have incurred losses to the extent of US $190 million,
which many consider is the biggest crisis in the history of aviation
in any African country. Recently, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had
announced that all passengers arriving in Ethiopia from COVID -19
affected countries will be quarantined for 14 days. The cost has to be
borne by the person quarantined. Similar rules are there in Uganda
also.
The other steps being taken by the government include closing down of
night clubs, setting free prisoners who have children, and whose
probationary period is drawing to an end plus those in detention for
minor crimes. the PM added.
Prime Minister Abiy said that religious institutions were tasked to
take all necessary measures towards the implementation of a robust
mechanism to prevent the spread of the virus. Ethiopia recorded its
first case last week of a Japanese national. Presently, the country
is testing over 900 people for the virus as part of contact tracing
efforts connected to confirmed cases. Africans believe that most
confirmed cases have been imported largely from Europe. Persons who
were tested positive were of either European nationals or of Africans
with recent travel history to Europe. There are sixteen deaths so far
in the continent as on March 19.
