Sudan closes ports, airports to stop coronavirus spread

March 17, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government on Monday declared a public health state of emergency to address coronavirus and decided to shut its ports and airports.

The Security and Defense Council headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sovereign Council, declared the public health state of emergency in the country in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus,

Mohamed al-Faki, a member of the Sovereign Council and his spokesman told reporters that the meeting decided to form a committee tasked with the measures to fight the respiratory disease.

“The committee, at its first meeting, decided to close all airports, ports, and land crossings. Only are permitted to operate cargo flights carrying technical and humanitarian support and scheduled air cargo flights,” said al-Faki.

For the domestic flights including oil service flights must obtain approval prior operations.

He further said that Khartoum airport and all other airports including landing airstrips are closed. only cargo flights scheduled flights and other humanitarian flights are permitted to operate on a case-by-case subject to prior request.

He further called on the Sudanese to cooperate with health and security teams to preserve the health of all the people in the country.

Al-Faki warned Sudanese against false messages and rumours advising that they should handle with great caution any information not issued through the official channels on the status of the disease, the number of coronavirus patients.

Norway recorded its first death linked to coronavirus on Thursday. But there are no new declared cases of the respiratory disease.

(ST)