Georgia suspends direct flights with Iran amid coronavirus outbreak
Head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze reported yesterday that the worsening of epidemiological situation in Iran amid the coronavirus outbreak is “a serious concern” for Georgia, as the number of infections is increasing there. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP
Tweet 
Share
The Government of Georgia has made a decision to suspend direct flights with Iran amid the recent coronavirus outbreak.
The Foreign Ministry announced today that this aims to prevent the possibility of the spread of the China-born virus to Georgia and to protect its citizens.
The government of Georgia is in constant communication with the Iranian authorities in order to receive the updates about the situation on the ground and the current preventive measures there”, the Foreign Ministry said.
It also stated that the government of Iran is making preventive measures, including the screening of outbound passengers. Nevertheless, the Georgian authorities made a decision to temporarily restrict travel to and from Iran for now.
Georgia has suspended direct flights with China to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. However, Georgian citizens who were willing to leave China amid the coronavirus outbreak and return home have been evacuated. Photo: Georgian Healthcare Ministry/Facebook
Iranian tourists, currently staying in Georgia will be delivered home by empty planes that will be allowed to enter the Georgian air space. No restrictions will be imposed on movement by land. However land borders will be under strict control.
The Government of Georgia follows the developments and continues to work with its neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan. We do not exclude to impose restriction on the land border in future as well, if necessary”, the Foreign Ministry said.
Calling on Georgian citizens to refrain from travelling to Iran in near future, it announced as well that those currently staying in Iran can contact the Georgian Embassy in Tehran at +989122997726.
Meanwhile, four Iranian citizens, who were recently taken to the Tbilisi infectious disease hospital with high temperature, tested negative for coronavirus.