(Quito, Pichincha 03/14/2020).- Starting at 23:59 on Sunday, March 15, foreign citizens will not be granted entry to Ecuador as a preventive measure to stop COVID-19 spread, so stated the Vice President, Otto Sonnenholzner, on Saturday March 14.

The measure applies to foreign passengers arriving on flights that land at the country’s four international airports, as well as those arriving by international land or sea transport. Ecuadorian citizens or foreigners residents in Ecuador must comply with this measure from 23:59 on Monday, March 16.

These official announcements are part of the actions that the National Government carries on to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

During the rest of this Saturday and all Sunday, the restriction of entry to passengers who come from the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Guangdong is still on; also for those coming from Spain, Iran, France, South Korea, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark, as well as from the states of Massachusetts, California, New York and Washington, in the USA, as it is established in the Interministerial Agreement 001 Interministerial Agreement 001 and Interministerial Agreement 002 signed by the Ministry of Government and the Ministry of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility.

Those who arrive until 23:59 Sunday, March 15, must comply a 1 4-day Mandatory Preventive Isolation process that is on from 00:00 on passed. This measure also applies to passengers who have been at airports in France and Spain, in transit or stopover.

It is important to clarify that the exit from Ecuador is not restricted, so those who need to move to other countries by air can do so.

On the other hand, borders closure has been stated as a preventive measure. The only authorized points of entry are: to the north, the international bridge of Rumichaca, San Miguel and Puerto del Carmen, while to the south the entrances of Huaquillas, Macará and Zapotillo will be enabled.

Also, entry to the Galapagos Islands is restricted. For this reason, nationals or foreigners coming from abroad must comply a Mandatory Preventive Isolation for 14 days. This quarantine must be fulfilled in the continental territory.

In addition, the Emergency Operative Committe announced the prohibition of massive events such as religious processions scheduled for Easter.

We emphasize on a call to citizens to remain calm and informed through official channels only:

Official Websites:

Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health:

• Web: https://www.salud.gob.ec/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Twitter: @Salud_Ec

World Health Organization:

• Web: https://www.who.int/es (information in several languages)

Pan American Health Organization, PAHO:

• Web: https://www.paho.org/es

(Information in Spanish and English)

Contact telephone numbers: ECU 9-1-1 and 171

http://citas.med.ec for citizens with active coronavirus symptoms.