Ethiopia tightens measures against coronavirus

Addis Ababa, February 3, 2020 (FBC) –The Ministry of Health said it has tightened measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus to Ethiopia from other countries.

The country is undertaking screening of travellers arriving at Bole International Airport and 27 other entry/exit points, said the Ministry of Health in a statement.

The Ministry indicated that it has so far screened 47, 162 travellers.

Following the screening, additional four people with suspected coronavirus have been put into isolation, it said.

Three of the suspected cases were Ethiopian nationals and had been held in quarantine centers at Bole Chefa in Addis Ababa and   Axum, Tigray regional state. The fourth suspected case was a Chinese national.

Preparations have been finalized to send their blood samples to South Africa for further examination, the Ministry said.

Four Ethiopians were discharged from a quarantine centre last week after the test results of the blood samples sent to South Africa became negative for the virus.

The death toll in China from coronavirus outbreak that originated in the central city of Wuhan, rose to at least 361 on Monday

The total number of people infected with the virus rose to 17,205 across the country.