#17,206
Over the past few days we've seen numerous countries - worried over the escalating COVID epidemic in China and the simultaneous shutdown of all official reporting from their NHC - require pre-departure negative COVID tests for arrivals from that part of the world.
Italy, going a step further, is reportedly testing (and sequencing) all all air passengers arriving from China.
While the most immediate concern is the XBB.1.5 variant now surging across the United States, China's refusal to share sequences (and other data) with the international community has raised concerns around the world. Yesterday we saw the WHO Meet With Chinese Officials to Request More Information On Mainland COVID Outbreak.
Admittedly, there is little that the WHO and the international community can do to compel China - or any other nation - to divulge this sort of information. The IHR 2005 regulations - while `legally binding' - have no `teeth' (see Adding Accountability To The IHR).
Yesterday, Morocco became the first country to announce (since this new outbreak began), that no passengers from China will be allowed to enter the country starting January 3rd. The (translated) announcement from the Moroccan foreign ministry follows:
In recent weeks, the Kingdom of Morocco has closely followed the development of the Covid-19 pandemic in the People's Republic of China.
As a result, and after regular and direct contacts with the Chinese party, and with the intention of avoiding a new wave of infection in Morocco and all its repercussions, the Moroccan authorities decided to prevent all travelers coming from China, whatever their nationality, from entering the soil of the Kingdom.
This exceptional measure, which will be applied from January 3, 2023 until further notice, does not in any way affect the strong friendship between the two peoples and the strategic partnership between the two countries, to which the Kingdom remains firmly attached.
This, I'm assuming, is more of a symbolic gesture than anything else; a sign of their displeasure over the lack of data coming out of China.
If some new, more dangerous variant really is brewing in China (absolutely unknown at this point), it will almost certainly find a way into Morocco, regardless of this ban on arrivals from China.
At best, this might buy them some time to prepare.
But if more countries took this approach, perhaps China would be more inclined to share what they know. Not likely, I'll grant you.
But possible.
