MANAMA: As the GCC countries with reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 Virus are taking measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus, the restriction on flights and cancellations of events are likely to impact the region’s economy hard in the Q1 of 2020 and beyond.
There have been postponement of dozens of events, conferences and international gatherings in the past two weeks across the region which means these unfolding events related to fear and precautionary measures to contain the spread of virus will cost millions of dollars in times economies are not in good shape and were expecting possible growth in the first quarter of the year. The meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector will be among the worst affected sectors due to this virus scare in the Gulf region as well as across the world.
Bahrain has now 33 confirmed cases and the Kingdom has stepped up its efforts to contain the possible spread of virus though human contact. Bahrain has closed the schools for two weeks as well.
The Kingdom of Bahrain had suspended flights from Dubai and Sharjah for two days in the mid of the week to control the possible infected passengers’ movement primarily coming from Iran which had the largest number of reported infected cases and fatalities related to the virus reaching in double digits. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, has stopped operating to Dubai in compliance with the Civil Aviation Bahrain’s instructions on the flight movements.
Gulf Air in a statement on Wednesday confirmed that it was complying with the Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) in the Kingdom of Bahrain order to temporarily suspend flights to and from Dubai International Airport for an additional 48 hours. “The decision has been taken in order to safeguard the health and welfare of the Kingdom’s citizens and residents from the current Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak,” the statement, added.
Also, Gulf Air confirmed that it was complying with the order of the Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) in the Kingdom of Bahrain to temporarily suspend flights to and from Iraq and Lebanon effective immediately and until further notice. The decision has been taken in order to safeguard the health and welfare of the Kingdom’s citizens and residents from the current Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.
Now, the flights new schedules are likely to be announced not early than next week but the situation remains confusing for potential travelers including businesses, tourist and religious tourism in the region.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has restricted the entry of those coming from the countries already hit by the virus including the GCC nationals those who do not require the visa but can travel on their respective smart cards or national identity cards.
“This allows the authorities at entry points to “verify from which countries visitors came before their arrival to the Kingdom and apply health precautions to deal with those coming from those countries,” the Saudi authorities in a statement said. However, the statement added, these procedures are temporary, and are subject to continuous evaluation by the authorities.
In another development, United Arab Emirates based travel agents have reportedly refused to issue air tickets to Saudi Arabia to anyone who isn’t a Saudi national. The UAE has only restricted flights to Iran, other flight restrictions may have been issued by the country of destination.
Saudi Arabia has also suspended entry for individuals seeking to perform Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca or visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina, as well as tourists traveling from countries where the coronavirus poses a risk as determined by the Saudi Arabia’s health authorities.
The new precautions are “based on the recommendations of the competent health authorities to apply the highest precautionary standards and take proactive preventive measures to prevent the emergence of the coronavirus in Saudi Arabia and its spread.
These measures come at a time when has been a sharp increase in the number of cases reported in the Middle East, where most of the individuals infected had traveled from Iran which has a reported death toll standing at 19, the highest outside China.
This pushed several countries to suspend flights and most of its neighbors to close their borders. Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, Iraq, and the UAE have all reported coronavirus cases who had traveled to Iran in the recent past.
World Health Organization officials warned on Thursday that member nations need to prepare for COVID-19 arrival after seven countries on Wednesday reported their first cases.
“Every country must be ready for its first case,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said during a press briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Geneva. “No country should assume it won’t get cases. That could be a fatal mistake. This virus does not respect borders.”
“We’re at a decisive point,” he said. “The epidemics in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea demonstrate what this virus is capable of.”
