Jordan: Authorities to impose 24-hour curfew in Ain Al-Basha between October 5-12 /update 38

Event

Authorities in Jordan announced that a 24-hour curfew will be imposed in Ain Al-Basha (Balqa province) and will be in effect between 06:00 (local time) on Monday, October 5, and October 12 due to a rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. From Monday morning, only those with special permits from local authorities will be allowed to travel in and out of Ain Al-Basha until October 12.

Similar restrictions are in effect in Al-Qasr (Karak province), Baqaa Camp (Balqa province), and the Batrawi and New Zarqa areas of Zarqa province until Thursday, October 8, as well as Ghor Al-Safi and Ghor Al-Mazra'a in Karak province until Sunday, October 4.

Authorities in Jordan reopened the country's Nasib-Jaber border crossing with Syria on Sunday, September 27, following a month-long closure due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Syria. The border, which is a vital passageway for Syrian and Lebanese goods to the Gulf, has new measures in place to maintain distance between Jordanian customs officials and those entering the kingdom. Prior to the reopening, Syria and Lebanon had no functioning border crossings.

Regularly scheduled flights from Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) resumed on September 8. Rules for incoming passengers depend on the epidemiological situation in their countries of origin, with a color-coded classification list regularly updated by the Transport Ministry. The latest list can be found here. A minimum of one week of self-isolation to a maximum of two weeks of quarantine may be required for arriving passengers. All travelers are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test administered in the previous 72-hours prior to travel and will also be tested on arrival.

Jordanian authorities tightened COVID-19 restrictions nationwide on September 17, following an increase in cases across the country. Social gatherings are limited to 20 people, including for funerals and weddings. Those attending weddings, funerals, and other similar social gatherings must wear face coverings and follow social distancing guidelines. 

Other restrictions remain in place, including the nationwide curfew between 01:00-06:00 (local time) for individuals and 00:01-06:00 for businesses. Nonessential movement is prohibited during curfew hours. It remains compulsory for all individuals to wear protective gloves and masks in public spaces and infractions are punishable by fines. However, movement between provinces is permitted, and the tourist industry has reopened, with hotels, bars, gyms, and nurseries operating at a limited capacity. Public transportation is operational at 50 percent capacity. Social distancing measures are enforced, with individuals required to keep 1.5 meters (5 ft) apart.

As of Saturday, October 3, there have been 14,749 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Jordan with 88 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 the 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 risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by 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.