Ethiopian authorities have closed their border with Djibouti amid Coronavirus took its toll on the tiny Horn of Africa nation.
According to Ethiopian officials who spoke to the media, the authorities noticed an unusual spike in the number of returning nationals from the Red Sea nation.
Djibouti, by Thursday, had only two deaths and 1089 cases with 477 recoveries.
Since mid March when the virus was found in Djibouti, the disease has been spreading very fast.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia has so far recorded 131 cases of Coronavirus as 59 recovered from the virus. The death toll of virus in Ethiopia stands at three deaths.
Quarantine centres
The illegal entry of migrants has become a new challenge for Ethiopia as it further complicates the country’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus
The government has established quarantine centres at bordering regional states to keep people crossing the border.
A report by state-affiliated media Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) cited Lemlem Bezabih, Head of the Dire Dawa City Health Office, as saying that the office is working with community members to tackle the challenge.
According to Ms Bezabih, some of the illegal returnees have tested positive for Covid-19 and her office is tracing individuals who had contact with them.
The health official admitted that the illegal entry of migrants from Djibouti has negatively impacted prevention efforts taken so far.
