Coronavirus: Tunisia kicks out Italian tourists; Uganda bans travel from worst-hit nations

Tunisia has deported Italian tourists who refused to self-isolate in safety precautions against the spread of the coronavirus in the north African country. The 30 tourists were sent back after just a week.

They had arrived on the Tunisian coast of Tabarka via sea voyage. They also refused a compulsory 14-day quarantine measure by Tunisian health officials.

Italy is the worst-hit country apart from China. So far, over 800 Italians have reportedly died from the coronavirus that has affected some 12,500 Italians.

From Tabarka, the tourists went to the city of Kairouan. After refusing to be quarantined, they were not granted access to a hotel.

They reportedly slept on the tour bus that had been carrying them across northern Tunisia.

Tunisian state news agency tweeted earlier this week saying: “…30 Italian tourists, who arrived Monday in Kairouan from Tabarka, were brought [sic] back home Tuesday, after coordination with their embassy, in prevention against COVID19″.

Tunisia has reported seven confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

But in a similar drastic fashion, Uganda has also restricted travels from China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea, and Spain.

Uganda’s health minister, Jane Ruth Aceng, was quoted as saying her government “has decided to ask travelers from the affected countries not to come to Uganda because the high cases they are reporting can easily be imported” into the east African country.

Meanwhile, Ghana has recorded two confirmed cases of the fast-spreading deadly coronavirus, the health ministry announced on Thursday.

Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu disclosed the news at a late-night press conference in the capital, Accra on Thursday.