The Nigerian government has announced a temporary ban on non-Nigerian passengers who have been in Brazil, India or Turkey within 14 days of intended arrival into Nigeria.
This is due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.
Mr. Mustapha said the travel ban does not apply to passengers who only transited through these countries that have been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases in the past week.
He said the new travel advisory shall come into effect from May 4 and shall be subject to review after an initial period of 4 weeks.
Non-Nigerian passport holders and non-residents who visited Brazil, India or Turkey within Fourteen (14) days preceding travel to Nigeria, shall be denied entry into Nigeria,” he said.
India has had more COVID-19 cases in the last seven days than anywhere else in the world, Reuters reported.
Indian hospitals, morgues and crematoriums have been overwhelmed as the country has reported more than 300,000 daily cases for more than 10 days straight. Many families have been left on their own to scramble for medicines and oxygen.
Nearly 10 Indian states and union territories have imposed some form of restrictions, even as the federal government remains reluctant to impose a national lockdown.
The pandemic also continued to wreak havoc in Brazil, which on Thursday became the second country to officially top 400,000 COVID-19 deaths — April was Brazil’s deadliest month of the pandemic, with about 100,000 lives lost.
Source: Premium Times