UAE suspends entry of passengers from four African countries

The move is in line with efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19

Lab staff working in the sample preparation room at Dubai Airport (DXB). All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

Close to Terminal 2, the laboratory is a dedicated centre for around-the-clock processing of RT-PCR test samples collected from passengers at DXB.

Lab staff working in Dubai Airport's in-house lab for processing Covid-19 PCR tests.

One of the world’s busiest airports now has one of the world’s biggest in-house Covid-19 testing laboratories.

The laboratory reduces waiting times for passengers arriving by making sure their PCR test results are delivered in only four to six hours.

Before the lab opened in June, the passengers’ samples were collected from the airport every 12 hours.

Now samples are collected every 30 minutes and transported to the in-house facility operated by Pure Health.

Carlo Kaabar, medical director of Mohap Laboratories, at Dubai Airport's in-house PCR lab.

After a batch of samples is received, the staff first check their integrity and verify the passengers’ details using barcodes.

Dubai Airport's in-house lab for processing Covid-19 PCR tests.

If passengers test positive, they need to undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines.

Lab staff scanning the barcode of a Covid-19 PCR sample.

The UAE will suspend the entry of passengers from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Nigeria in line with efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The ban will come into effect from 7.30am on Christmas Day.

The directive was issued by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority in conjunction with the General Civil Aviation Authority on Thursday.

The decision covers all inbound flights for national and international carriers and transit passengers and includes travellers who were in any the four countries in the 14 days prior to their planned arrival in the Emirates.

Flights from the UAE to the four countries will continue.

UAE citizens, their first degree relatives, diplomatic missions, official delegations between UAE and the countries and Golden residence holders are exempt from the decision.

The excluded categories should present a negative Covid-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure and a Rapid-PCR test at the airport within six hours of departure whenever possible and another PCR test at the airport on arrival to UAE.

A 10-day quarantine and a PCR test on the ninth day of entering the country is required for UAE citizens, their first-degree relatives, diplomatic missions and golden residence holders.

UAE citizens are barred from travelling to the four African countries except for the country's emergency treatment cases, official delegations, and scholarships.

The two authorities also introduced new travel requirements for travellers on direct flights from Uganda and Ghana.

These include presenting a negative Covid-19 test obtained within 48 hours and a Rapid-PCR test at the airport within six hours of the departure.

"Those coming from Uganda and Ghana to the UAE on transit flights also have to have a negative Covid-19 test obtained within 48 hours and a Rapid-PCR test at the airport of their main point of departure within six hours of travelling in addition to another Rapid PCR test at the transit airport before being allowed to enter the UAE," red a statement from the authorities on Wam.

"GCAA called on all travellers affected by the decision to follow up and communicate with the airlines to amend and schedule their flights and to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without any delay or other obligations," the statement said.

Last week, the UAE barred entry to travellers from the Republic of Congo.