Bosnia-Herzegovina: Government to suspend all air traffic from March 30 due to COVID-19 /update 2

Event

On Tuesday, March 24, Prime Minister Zoran Tegeltija announced that all flights to and from airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be indefinitely suspended as of Monday, March 30, to prevent further spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Only cargo planes carrying medical supplies will be exempt from the ban.

An entry ban on all foreign nationals remains in place as of Tuesday, and all individuals arriving from abroad are subject to a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. 

To date, there have been over 145 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected. 

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the general risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:   

• Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.  
• When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue; throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands. 
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, seek medical care urgently and share your previous travel history with your health care provider.