The Jordanian government said on Sunday it was denying entry of non-Jordanians coming from Iran, South Korea, on top of a previous ban on those coming from China as a precautionary measure against the new coronavirus.
The decision entered into effect on Sunday after the spike in the number of confirmed cases of infection in South Korea and Iran, said State Minister for Media Affairs Amjad Adayleh.
As for Jordanians arriving from the three countries, the minister said they will be subjected to a two-week precautionary quarantine.
The government, he announced, has also upped health control measures at all border crossings and airports, in line with the precautionary measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
On Sunday, head of Al-Bashir Hospital Dr. Mahmoud Zureiqat told Asharq Al-Awsat that there were no coronavirus cases in the country.
He said the Health Ministry examined 150 people who arrived from China to Jordan, adding that nine people were placed in quartantine at the hospital to ensure they are not infected.
“We expect five cases to be discharged from hospital after undergoing medical examinations in the past 14 days,” Zureiqat said.
Since the outbreak of the virus in China in December, Jordan has taken a series of measures by installing thermal scanners at its entire border crossings.
On Sunday, the Jordan Maritime Commission (JMC) raised the alert level as a safety measure against the novel coronavirus, which has started to spread to many neighboring countries.
In a statement, Director General of the JMC Muhammad Salman said all vessels entering Jordanian waters will be screened for the virus.
In the event of a suspected case of infection, the ship will not be allowed to disembark and will remain at sea until tests give the all clear, he pointed out.
On Sunday, King Abdullah reaffirmed, in a cable to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Jordan’s solidarity with China in countering the coronavirus, expressing confidence in its efforts to contain it.
