AMMAN, Apr 30 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan will start to bring back its nationals stranded abroad, from May 5, the government said.
After Jordan closed its airport and border crossings in mid-Mar, as part of efforts to combat COVID-19, thousands of Jordanians, including students, expatriates and many others, who were on business trips or vacations, were stranded and could not return to the country.
“We will bring those stuck abroad in batches. The first batch will be brought from Egypt and Turkey from May 5,” Minister of State for Media Affairs, Amjad Adaileh, said in a statement. The first batch will bring back 3,049 Jordanians, he noted.
All returnees will be quarantined for a minimum of two weeks, at hotels or well-prepared public facilities in the Dead Sea area.
Adaileh warned that lack of public adherence to health and safety instructions, may force the government to re-impose a full curfew and ban the use of private cars.
From Wednesday, Jordanians are allowed to drive their cars, according to a system of even/odd numbers, but hundreds of violations were reported on the first day.
Health Minister, Saad Jaber, said, Jordan reported two Arab drivers confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, at the border, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 451, with eight fatalities.
“The number of cases in Jordan is under control and the situation is good but we should not take it for granted,” Jaber said.
“Many people are not taking it seriously and not wearing masks and gloves and not keeping social distancing,” he added.– NNN-PETRA
