COVID 19 UPDATE

• As of the evening of March 9, 2021, 187,094 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11,038 deaths in Egypt were acknowledged by the Ministry of Health and Population. Egypt is implementing 14-day quarantine periods and other preventative measures in all cases. ICU occupancy rates remain near 90 percent.
• The Government of Egypt has announced that commencing Sunday, January 3, 2021, individuals who do not adhere to precautionary measures such as wearing a mask indoors may be subject to an immediate fine or prosecution.
• All indoor weddings, funerals, festivals, or other mass gatherings are canceled indefinitely.
• Starting Sunday, January 3, 2021, businesses such as restaurants and cafes have been ordered to reduce the number of patrons to 50 percent of capacity or less, with penalties of 4,000 LE to temporary business closures.
• On August 28, Friday prayers reopened at some mosques under strict preventative measures; mosques have been open for daily prayers with the exception of Friday prayers.
• On December 5, the Coptic Church of Egypt suspended in-person services through the end of December. Catholic churches remain in operation.
• All public schools are required to shift to virtual learning until February 20.
•  The Government of Egypt  provides COVID-19 tests at a cost of 1,680 Egyptian Pounds for foreigners and 1,260 Egyptian pounds for Egyptians.
• Delivery of test results varies by provider. Some are able to email results within 24 hours.
•  The Government of Egypt established the following COVID-19 dedicated hotlines: 105– Ministry of Health Hotline (Press 1 for COVID-19 information; Arabic proficiency recommended); 15335 - Press 1 for Arabic. Press 2 for English.
• All passengers travelling to Egypt (including Egyptians) must be in possession of negative PCR test certificate for COVID-19, taken at a maximum of 72 hours before their flight departure time.
•  Passengers travelling from Japan, China, Thailand, North America, South America, Canada, London Heathrow, Paris, and Frankfurt will be allowed to provide the test certificate performed at a maximum of 96 hours prior to flight departure, due to the long travel and transit period from these airports.
• Travelers must present paper copies of the test results; digital copies will not be accepted. Children under the age of six of all nationalities are exempt

Source: US Embassy in Egypt

• All passengers arriving in or transiting through Kenya must have a negative PCR COVID-19 certificate for a test conducted within 96 hours prior to travel. The Kenyan Ministry of Health is planning to launch the Trusted Travel (TT) Initiative:  https://africacdc.org/trusted-travel/.  Once this system is implemented, U.S. citizens who do not have such a test may be refused boarding or denied entry to Kenya.

On March 12^th 2021, the President of the Republic of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta directed as follows:

• That all forms of political gatherings be and are hereby prohibited for a period of 30 days, effective midnight on this 12th March, 2021.
• The Nationwide Curfew is extended for a further containment of 60 days. In that regard, all bars, restaurants, and other establishments open to the public, must, close by 9.00 p.m.
• That the escalation or de-escalation of the containment measure in regard to Prohibition of Political Gatherings is dependent on whether the national endeavour to break the chain of transmissions will have been achieved.
• In regard to funerals, cremations and other interment ceremonies, it is directed that these ceremonies shall be conducted strictly within 72 hours of confirmation of death;

Further, it is ordered as follows:

• That attendees for funerals and gravesides/crematoria ceremonies, shall be limited to the immediate family of the deceased, with the number capped at no more than 100 persons.
• That attendees of celebration of Weddings and other traditional unions and rites is hereby capped at 100 persons.

• There shall continue to be strict maintenance and enforcement of public social health measures, including regular washing of hands with soap and water or use of sanitizers, physical/social distancing in all public places;

• THAT, in line with the guidelines issued by the Inter- Faith Council, only a maximum of one-third of the capacity of places of worship will be allowed at each worship ceremony;

• The Ministry of Health, working closely with the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), are directed to enhance and strictly enforce border health security, with a greater emphasis on informal entry points; as the country remains at high risk of importation of new variants of COVID-19;

• The Ministry of Health shall strengthen the existing COVID-19 genomic surveillance so as to monitor the circulating strains in the country for the purpose of informing policy decisions and public health interventions;

• All isolation facilities in the country must be maintained at a high state of preparedness through continuous capacity-building and provision of adequate PPE for healthcare workers; supported by the continuous implementation of Infection Prevention and Control measures;

• The County Governments shall enhance investment in piped and portable oxygen to isolation and critical care treatment facilities for the management of severe cases.

• To provide business continuity during the containment period, exemption on the application of curfew is hereby granted to essential services providers, factories and construction sites to operate night shifts;

Source: US Embassy in Kenya and Republic of Kenya

• Movements are prohibited from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, except with permission.
• Masks must be worn in public at all times.
• Domestic and international tourism is permitted only for visitors traveling on charter flights.  The Kigali Airport remains closed to normal commercial air traffic.
• Individual sporting activities in open spaces are permitted, but sports facilities, gyms, and recreational centres remain closed.
• Religious weddings and funerals are permitted but must not exceed 30 people.
• All bars, schools, universities, and places of worship remain closed.
• Transport between provinces in permitted, except to and from Rusizi and Rubavu districts.
• Meetings in public spaces and mass gatherings are prohibited.
• Borders remain closed, except for cargo, goods, and returning Rwandans and Rwandan permanent residents. 
• Rwandan citizens and residents returning to the country are subject to a mandatory seven day quarantine at designated locations at their own expense.

Source: US Embassy in Rwanda

• All travelers whether foreigners or returning residents whose countries or airlines require them to provide negative testing for COVID-19 as a condition for traveling will be required to present a certificate on arrival. Travelers from other countries with symptoms and signs related to COVID-19 infection will undergo enhanced screening and may be tested on arrival.
• Passengers should fill in Health Surveillance Form on the plane, or any other transport means and submit them to Port Health authorities upon arrival.
• The Tanzanian government has lifted the ban imposed on Kenyan flights. The move now allows all Kenyan operators, including, Kenya Airways, Fly 540 Limited, SafariLink Aviation, and AirKenya Express Limited, among others to operate and land in Tanzania.

Source: Standard Media Group

• On September 20, President Museveni announced changes to the current restrictions, including opening of Entebbe International Airport on October 1 and all land borders, allowing schools to re-open on October 15 for the candidate classes, permitting places of worship to gather with groups of 70 persons or less, and allowing open-air sport activities to resume without spectators. He also lifted restrictions on movement to and from border districts. The curfew (2100h-0600h) remains in place, as does the closure of gyms, bars, casinos, gaming centers, and cinemas. Motorcycle taxi (boda boda) drivers must cease their movements by 1800h.
• Currently, only special repatriation flights, organized by the Government of Uganda, are being permitted to arrive at Entebbe International Airport. 
• Travelers must take a certified PCR COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours before departure and obtain a negative result. Tests must have been done by a health facility that is accredited by the government of the country in which the test is conducted. Travelers will be required to present their test results to the airline to receive confirmation of their flight booking. For more information, please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Source: US Embassy in Uganda   

• All travelers whether foreigners or returning residents whose countries or airlines require them to provide negative testing for COVID-19 as a condition for traveling will be required to present a certificate on arrival. Travelers from other countries with symptoms and signs related to COVID-19 infection will undergo enhanced screening and may be tested on arrival.
• Passengers should fill in Health Surveillance Form in the plane, or any other transport means and submit them to Port Health authorities upon arrival.
• The Tanzanian government has lifted the ban imposed on the Kenyan flights. The move now allows all Kenyan operators, including, Kenya Airways, Fly 540 Limited, SafariLink Aviation, and AirKenya Express Limited, among others to operate and land in Tanzania.

Source: Standard Media Group