MOGADISHU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Somali government on Monday vowed to intensify efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) after Mogadishu confirmed the first case.
Health Minister of Somalia Fawziya Abikar Nur called on Somalis to remain vigilant and take prevention seriously.
The minister said the first case is a Somali citizen who is among the four persons who had been quarantined after returning to Somalia from one of the COVID-19-affected countries last week.
"Following the testing of the four persons who were under quarantine after arrival, one case has turned positive for coronavirus," the minister told journalists in Mogadishu.
"This citizen was among four people under quarantine, the three others are feeling well, they don't have the symptoms of this disease but they are still under control," Abikar said.
She said the ministry received the result of the examination from abroad on Monday, noting that the ministry was making every effort to protect the country from the virus spreading.
The minister said the government will make efforts to create special areas to quarantine coronavirus suspects, urging people to stop unnecessary gathering and meeting and maintain hygiene.
Abikar said emergency health centers have been established at main entry points such as airports and ports to deal with the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Somalia has announced a two-week ban on international flights effective Wednesday.
The ministry said humanitarian and emergency cases will be exceptional but the suspension of all international flights will take effect nationwide.
So far, Turkey, UAE, Djibouti, Kenya, Qatar and Ethiopia had direct flights to Somalia.
