Mauritania: Authorities permit non-Mauritanian nationals entry by air September 11 /update 6

Event

Authorities have announced that non-Mauritanian nationals are permitted entry into the country by air from Friday, September 11. Individuals will be required to provide a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test carried out within 72 hours prior to arriving in-country.

Flights between Mauritania and all other countries were suspended on March 17 amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The government announced the lifting of restrictions on internal travel in early July; intercity travel and domestic flights have resumed. All land borders to neighboring countries remain closed.

Restaurants, public spaces, hotels, and schools have reopened. Preventative measures and social distancing measures should continue to be observed, including the mandatory use of face masks on public transport and in shops.

As of Wednesday, September 16, there have been 7319 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 161 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

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). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

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

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

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 the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.