Coronavirus: Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights to 30 countries

An Ethiopian Airline plane. FILE PHOTO | ISSOUF SANOGO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • PM Abiy Ahmed says passengers arriving in the country to be quarantine for 14 days.

Ethiopia on Friday stepped up its battle against Covid-19 by suspending flights to 30 countries hardest hit by the new coronavirus.

In a televised address Friday evening, the country's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said all passengers arriving in Ethiopia from the affected countries will be quarantined at designated facilities for 14 days until their status is known.

He, however, did not reveal the countries affected by the directive.

Confirming the announcement, the carrier tweeted; "We would like to inform our esteemed customers that we have stopped flight to 30 countries due to Covid-19 virus".

Ethiopia has reported nine coronavirus cases.