Coronavirus Outbreak: Kenya Halts Flights from North Italy

Following the outbreak of coronavirus in the cities of Verona and Milan, the government has suspended direct flights from the North of Italy to Kenya.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, who chairs the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus, said the move was made after consultations with the Italian Embassy in Kenya.

“Following consultations with the Italian Embassy and stakeholders, the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus has concluded that flights from North of Italy, specifically Verona and Milan which usually has direct chartered flights to our coast be suspended effective March 3rd, 2020,” CS Kagwe said in a statement.

“This part of Italy is experiencing Coronavirus incidents which could affect safety to Kenyans.”

Italy is the hotspot of coronavirus in Europe with 1,700 cases and over 60 deaths, followed by Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

The virus, which originated in China’s Wuhan city late last year, has so far killed more than 3,000 people worldwide, a majority of them in mainland China. It has also infected over 88,000 others globally.

Both coronavirus cases that were recently confirmed in Tunisia and Nigeria involved patients who had traveled from Italy.