Accredited diplomats and members of international non-governmental organisations on medical emergency or evacuation can still fly into Kenya after approval by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This is will be in consultation with the ministries of Health and Transport.
“All incoming persons must fill in a form issued by port health on arrival before immigration that they commit to undergoing mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days,” Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has said.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe also said foreign airlines will still be allowed to fly in Kenyans and foreigners with valid residence permits into the country, even as citizens protest continued flights into the country.
All seven coronavirus cases reported in the country are imported.
However, every passenger who gets into the country, Kagwe said, will have to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Failure to comply will constitute an offense under the Public Health Act and will be subject to fines and or a jail term.
In case of a suspected case of coronavirus, airlines are required to avail aircraft identity, departure details, estimated time of arrival, number of suspected cases on board, number of people on board and signs and symptoms of the suspected cases, information to be shared with the port health department.
The government has also said it will not authorise deportation from any country, of more than five persons through JKIA, the Star has reported.
Kenya Airways has suspended flights to Bangkok, Djibouti, Mogadishu and Khartoum and all the countries with reported Covid-19 cases from JKIA until April.
It has also reduced frequencies to London, Paris, Dubai, Johannesburg, and Kigali.
“These changes are necessary to ensure optimal and efficient operations and the airline will continue to make adjustments as the situation demands,” KQ management said in a statement on Wednesday.
Affected passengers will be rebooked on alternative flights, with the airline extending a full refund to those who would like to cancel their travel. KQ will also waive booking fees for passengers willing to reschedule their flights to later dates.
Elsewhere, fresh produce dealers are keen to secure stable shipment channels for their products, which has been slowed down by reduced freight services.
“We are now opening negotiations with individual airlines to get cargo flights moving again. With the new regulation in place, we can now resume the operations,” Ojepat Okisegere, CEO Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya, said.
