Countries seal borders amid coronavirus fears

Life on lockdown. Many countries have announced travel bans on foreign travellers and more people stay home under government order to slow the spread of coronavirus. The worst affected countries in terms of fatalities are mainland China, with 3,213 deaths, Italy with 2,158 deaths, 853 in Iran, 309 in Spain and France with 127 deaths. The countries that have sealed their borders due to the spread of Covid-19 are:

Spain has the fourth-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world behind China, Italy and Iran. Spain's 47 million people have been under partial lockdown and are allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, buy food or visit a pharmacy or hospital.

Italy, Europe's hardest-hit nation announced another surge in deaths, taking its overall toll to more than 2,000, in a worldwide total of more than 7,000. More than 175,530 cases have been recorded in 145 countries. Europe is now clearly the epicentre of the outbreak as there are almost 170,000 cases of coronavirus globally and 6,509 reported deaths. With French President Emmanuel Macron describing the battle against COVID-19 as a "war", governments around the world are imposing restrictions rarely seen in peacetime, slamming borders shut and forcing citizens to stay home.

Malaysia shut its borders to travellers, restricted internal movement, closed schools and universities and ordered most businesses to shut after its number of coronavirus cases climbed to the highest in Southeast Asia.

Canada closed its borders to all foreign nationals except US citizens and permanent residents. The move comes as the number of confirmed cases jumped from a few dozen traced to foreign travel two weeks ago to more than 400, including local transmission of the virus.

 

 

Germany implements controls at it closes its land borders with Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The drastic measure came in force as cases of COVID-19 infections soared in Germany, reaching 4,838 including 12 deaths.

 

Denmark also became the latest country to take dramatic steps to stop the spread of the COVID-19 disease, closing its borders to all non-resident foreigners for a month. Schools, universities and libraries have been closed in Denmark and civil servants have been asked to stay at home.

Several West African countries on Monday closed borders and tightened travel restrictions in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus as the number of identified cases grows. Tanzania and Somalia became the latest East Africa countries to confirm their first cases of coronavirus, as neighbouring countries shuttered borders and schools as fears of contagion rose. Ivory Coast closed its borders for 15 days to all non-citizens travelling from countries where more than 100 infections have been detected.

 

Pakistan is closing one of its two border crossings with Afghanistan for a week to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The country has suspended all flights to Iran and closed land borders. Pakistan closed its land border with Iran.