Jordan princes quarantined over coronavirus
State of emergency imminent as army starts deploying; printing of newspapers halted
Dubai: More than 4,000 passengers who arrived in the last couple of days in Jordan, including Princes Mohammad and Hussein Bin Talal Bin Mohammad, are now being compulsorily quarantined in Amman, Dead Sea and Al Aqaba hotels, according to Asharq Al Awsat, a pan-Arab daily.
Yesterday, the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) was flooded with arriving passengers, who got upset upon learning they would not be allowed to go to their homes before being quarantined for 14 days.
Videos and photos of the QAIA filled with angry passengers have gone viral on social media, sparking contrasting reactions.
The passengers were transported to some hotels in Amman, Dead Sea and Al Aqaba, which were turned into quarantines, through special buses.
Jordan also cancelled the printing of newspapers as it can spread the virus. It also banned the movement of people between cities and governorates. The kingdom is also closing banks and suspending governmental work.
Meanwhile, the Jordanian army said on Tuesday it will deploy at entrances and exits of main cities in a move officials said was ahead of an announcement of a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus.
The kingdom, which has already announced a lockdown after the number of confirmed cases rose to 40, was about to take further steps including the emergency announcement, officials told Reuters.
The decision to quarantine all arrivals has been taken by official authorities as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the Kingdom.
So far, Jordan has reported 40 confirmed cases in just two days, although health authorities said early this week that Jordan had zero cases after the only Covid-19 patient in the country recovered.
According to TV, a nurse at Bashir Hospital tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases to 35. The nurse was on a visit to her family in Palestine and returned to Jordan five days ago. She resumed her work as soon as returned to the country.
All those who come in contact with the nurse, including patients and colleagues, were immediately quarantined and blood samples have been taken to ensure they are free of the virus.
The Kingdom took a decision to suspend all flights as well as close all its land borders and seaports from March 17 until further notice.