Libya could stop flights and close border with Tunisia if Indian variant Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Tunisia

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 5 July 2021:

Speaking to Libyan media yesterday, the head of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Badr Al-Din Al-Najar said though the spread of the coronavirus in Libya is under control, stricter measures may be required.

Surprisingly, he said these measures include the drastic step of stopping flights with Tunisia and closing the Ras Ajdir border crossing for a limited period if the situation gets out of control.

Stopping flights to or closing the border with Tunisia would bee seen as an extreme measure as both countries depend on bilateral trade, health tourism and the free passage of people and trade. Many Libyans also use Tunis as their transit point to travel elsewhere.

The statement by Najar comes after the NCDC sent a letter yesterday to the monitoring and response supervisors in the municipalities regarding raising the state of preparedness and raising epidemiological surveillance efforts to confront Covid 19.

But it also comes as the number of reported Coronavirus cases of the Indian variant in Tunisia rises.

The latest Coronavirus cases and vaccinations

Meanwhile, the latest NCDC figures reported today read as follows:

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Libya launches online anti-Coronavirus vaccination registration site | (libyaherald.com)

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Libya orders 2.8 million doses of vaccines for 1.4 million through WHO’s Covax: NCDC head | (libyaherald.com)

Libya contracts to buy 2.8 million doses of anti-Coronavirus vaccines | (libyaherald.com)

Libya to purchase US$ 9.6 million worth of Coronavirus vaccine | (libyaherald.com)