Yemen’s Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Nasser Ba'oum, confirmed on Saturday that no coronavirus cases have been reported in Yemen to date. The minister’s statement came during an emergency cabinet meeting held Saturday aimed at preventing the spread of the disease, also known as COVID-19.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed and it resulted in a number of precautionary and preventive measures being taken to address the pandemic. According to the government-run Saba news agency, the minister of health explained that all arrivals into Yemen’s various ports are now undergoing procedural checks to verify that they have not been infected with coronavirus.

The health minister briefed the prime minister on the steps taken as part of the emergency measures to address the threat of the epidemic, noting that progress has been made in equipping isolation centers and providing land, sea and air ports with adequate screening equipment in coordination with the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action, and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

According to Saba news, during the ministerial meeting the decision was made to suspend flights to and from all Yemeni airports, for two weeks starting Tuesday, March 17 at 12 pm, until the necessary procedures and equipment for screening and monitoring are strengthened in coordination between the Ministry of Health and the competent local authorities. An exception is being made for humanitarian flights and the transport of relief aid.

Moreover, it was decided that all land ports will also be closed also starting Tuesday, with the exception of commercial, relief and humanitarian transport.

All classes at educational institutes, including universities and private centers, are also to be cancelled for an initial period of one week to ensure the safety of students and members of these institutions, and to apply preventive measures. The health minister also stressed the need to strengthen control procedures at seaports and to take whatever action needed for testing the workers onboard vessels.