Traveler from United Kingdom. Photo: Pixabay.

The Panamanian government suspended entry to the country for anyone from the United Kingdom and South Africa, countries affected by a new strain of covid-19, that is much more contagious.

The measure applies temporarily “to people from, who have stayed or transited through the United Kingdom or the Republic of South Africa in the last 20 days before entering the country,” according to a provision published in the official gazette.

The measure, which took effect at midnight on Monday, applies to air, land, and sea transport, both commercial and private, adds the resolution, which is signed by the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre.

However, Panamanians and residents of Panama may enter, but must “carry out a mandatory, upon arrival in the country, PCR or antigen test.”

Regardless of the result of that test, they will have to spend a quarantine for the time determined by the health authorities in one of the hotels that the Panamanian government has arranged to care for patients with covid-19.

Panama is the country with the highest contagion of the new coronavirus in Central America, with more than 214,038 infected and more than 3,597 deaths (as of Monday, December 21).

Panama Today