Coronavirus Outbreak: Suspend on-arrival visas

The ministry of health has recommended a restriction on the visa-on-arrival service for citizens of Iran, South Korea, and Italy as the coronavirus has hit these countries.

Health Secretary Asaduzzaman confirmed this to The Daily Star yesterday evening.

"We have given the recommendation to the home ministry. They might have taken the measures," Md Asaduzzaman, secretary of the ministry of health and family welfare, said.

However, The Daily Star could not reach any official of the home ministry to confirm this.

Earlier on February 2, the government temporarily restricted the visa-on-arrival service for Chinese nationals as a precautionary measure to prevent the new virus from entering the country.

In the latest development, Iran confirmed 1,501 cases of the novel coronavirus with 66 deaths, while the number was 1,694 in Italy with 34 confirmed deaths, and 4,335 in South Korea with 26 deaths.

Meanwhile, the government has taken up a four-level preparedness plan to tackle with the novel coronavirus.