The Higher Committee for Epidemiology Approves Closing Land Ports and Suspending Examinations

In its meeting today, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister for Services and Development Affairs and Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Hussein Makbouli, the Ministerial Committee for Combating Epidemics approved the closure of land ports for all travelers for a period of two weeks, starting today, March 16, with the exception of goods and freight.

The committee also approved in its meeting in the presence of Health Ministers, Dr. Taha Al-Mutawakkil, Transport Zakaria Al-Shami, Interior, Major General Abdul Karim Al-Houthi, Awqaf Najeeb Al-Aji, Industry Abdul-Wahab Al-Durra, Local Administration Ali Al-Qaisi, Technical Education Ghazi Ahmed Ali Mohsen, Higher Education Hussein Hazeb, Head of the Security and Intelligence Service Major General Abdul Hakim Al-Khaiwani, tightening procedures Informal outlets should implement the local administration, health, interior, and security and intelligence services to implement this decision.

The committee stressed in the meeting that included the two deputy ministers of information, Fahmi Al-Yousifi and Education, Dr. Hamdan Al-Shami and the head of the joint technical committee to prepare for the confrontation of Corona, Dr. Mohamed Al-Mansour, that the local authorities headed by the governors provide basic services to travelers in the outlets.

The committee held the aggression countries, their agents and the Yemeni Airlines fully responsible in seeking the outbreak of the Corona epidemic in Yemen by doubling the number of flights to the country while the world is closing airports and legal measures will be taken in this regard.

The committee approved the suspension of studies and examinations in schools, universities, institutes, colleges and the like until further notice, and that the Ministry of Interior take all necessary health measures at the level of central and subsidiary prisons and reduce visits.

It also approved abolishing the work fingerprint system for all public, private and mixed sector employees and taking other alternatives, and the authorities must provide all sterilization tools in all government facilities, and assign a duty alternate from the interior, land transport, local administration, security and intelligence to work around the clock within the health operations room according to a common work mechanism Prepared by the Ministry of Health.

Among the committee’s decisions, the Ministry of Communications is responsible for harnessing all the technical capabilities, communication services, remote sensing systems, tracking systems and all free awareness means and toll-free numbers as proposed by the Ministry of Health, while the Ministry of Endowments takes advantage of the capabilities, including mosque preachers, to educate the community about the Corona virus and ways to prevent it In addition to taking preventive measures to prevent virus outbreaks in mosques in coordination with the Ministry of Health.

The committee decided to take strict legal measures against any person who publishes rumors and false news and cause panic among citizens about Corona.

The Deputy Prime Minister for Services and Development and Chairman of the Committee, in a press conference after the meeting, reaffirmed Yemen’s freedom from the Corona virus, thanks to the efforts of all ministries and relevant authorities in taking precautionary measures to prepare to confront this virus.

He stressed that the decisions of the committee come within the framework of the precautionary measures to combat the Corona Virus 2019.

Dr. Makbouli pointed out that the number of arrivals to the homeland during the past two days from the countries that suffer from the Corona virus exceeded 800 passengers via the Yemeni Airlines.

In turn, the Minister of Public Health and Population affirmed that Yemen, until now, is still free from the Coruna virus.

Dr. Taha Al-Mutawakkil indicated that the Ministry is working to prepare and equip the necessary medical teams to be stationed in the outlets in anticipation of any emergency … praising the efforts of all ministries and relevant authorities in taking precautionary measures to counter this virus.

For his part, the Minister of the Interior warned of the danger of using aggression against the Corona virus against the Yemeni people in the context of biological warfare.

Major General Al Houthi said, “It is imperative that we take decisions and policies to defend the safety and security of Yemen in accordance with the available capabilities.” Stressing the importance of joining efforts and working in the spirit of one team to take precautionary measures to confront this virus and prevent its entry into Yemen.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transport condemned the Yemeni airline for making additional flights to transport hundreds of travelers from Arab countries where the virus recently spread inside the country daily, without precautionary measures and presumed health measures.

The Minister Al-Shami expressed hope that these trips will not be aimed at exporting the virus to Yemen, especially as the transmission takes place via a single, closed and non-seized plane … indicating the neglect experienced by the occupied provinces.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research indicated the need for joint coordination to take precautionary measures to prevent the entry of the Corona virus into Yemen, especially from the southern and eastern governorates.

In turn, he urged the Minister of Endowments and Guidance to join hands and collaborate between official and popular bodies to guard against and alert against this virus, and to take the necessary measures in this aspect by intensifying societal awareness.