South Africa has imposed as of today a travel ban on foreign nationals from high risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China.
The Government is also advising South Africans to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea.
Any foreign national who has visited high risk countries in the past 20 days will be denied a visa, the official information agency SA News reported.
In another measure, South African citizens returning from high risk countries will be subjected to testing and self isolation or quarantine on return to the country.
The Government has also canceled visas to visitors from those countries and previously granted visas are hereby revoked.
SA News recalls that South Africa has 72 ports of entry which are land, sea and air ports. Of the 53 land ports, 35 were shut down on Monday, 16 March.
Schools are, too, being closed as of this Wednesday, 18 March, and will remain closed until after the Easter Weekend.
A National Economic Development and Labor Council (Nedlac) meeting endorsed measures aimed at containing the outbreak and its impact on the South African economy.
Over 60 leaders from organized business, labor, government and community attended the meeting, according to SA News. Ministers of Labor, Trade, Industry and Competition, Finance and Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and their Deputies were also at the meeting.
Regarding macro-economic impact and potential measures, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the Government is monitoring the economic impact of the virus and noted suggestions made by social partners regarding economic impact of this virus at a time when the economy is already stressed. ■
A very strong low pressure system currently just offshore of San Francisco Bay will continue to bring high winds, heavy rain, and heavy mountain snow for California and adjacent areas of the Southwest through tonight and Wednesday as the latest in a series of atmospheric rivers impacts the West.