These countries have imposed sweeping travel bans to combat the coronavirus

Since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, countries have rushed to ramp up measures to keep the virus at bay.

Globally, 158 countries have been affected, more than 7,000 people have died and more than 184,000 infected by the disease called 'COVID-19' as it spreads rapidly to new territories.

The epicentre of the outbreak has now shifted to Europe, which is recording a rapid rise in new cases every day.

The following countries have imposed travel restrictions to limit the spread of the disease:

▪Canada: Borders are closed to all travelers who are not citizens.

▪Costa Rica: Borders closed to non-residents, effective March 16 through April 12.

▪Cyprus: Only its citizens, along with other Europeans working on island , people with spec permits be allowed.

▪Colombia: Effective 17 March, Colombia will close borders completely until 30 May.

▪Czech Republic: Partially closed its borders on March 14.

▪Denmark: Closed its borders to all non-citizens March 14.

▪El Salvador: On March 11, the President of El Salvador announced an Executive Order barring the entry of foreigners.

▪Estonia: Effective March 17, 2020, foreign travelers will not be allowed to enter Estonia.

▪Germany: Effective March 16, 2020 Germany has partially closed its borders with France, Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.

▪Ghana: Effective March 17, 2020 Ghana will ban anyone has been to a country with more than 200 cases.

▪Honduras: Borders closed for a week to all traffic.

▪Hungary: Hungary will close its borders for all passenger transport and only Hungarian citizens will be allowed to enter, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on March 16.

▪India: Effective March 13, 2020, all tourist visas and OCI entries were suspended until at least April 15, while holders of these visas who were already in the country can stay. Also tightened/closed their border with neighboring countries.India also mandated 14-day quarantine for citizens returning from seven countries: China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Spain.

▪Israel: Effective March 12, 2020, foreign travelers from any country are denied entry, home isolation for 14 days.

▪Jordan: Effective March 17, 2020 Jordan will stop all incoming and outgoing passenger flights into the country.

▪Kenya: Effective March 17, 2020 Kenya halted the entry of foreigners from countries that have confirmed coronavirus cases.

▪Latvia: Effective March 17, 2020 all intl travel by air, railway, sea and road, will be cancelled.

▪Lithuania: closing border for foreigners, except for those having residence permits,

▪Malaysia: All citizens are prohibited from leaving the country while foreigners are prohibited from entering the country effective 18 March 2020.

▪Moldova: closing its airspace and terrestrial borders for all foreigners.

▪North Korea: Closed its borders to all intl tourists on January 21, one of the first countries to do so.

▪Norway: Effective March 16, 2020 closed airports temporarily.

▪ Palestine: Tourist ban of West Bank from March 5, 2020 for 14 days.

▪Panama: From 11.59 p.m on Monday night (March 16), only Panamanians would be allowed to enter.

▪Peru: Peru restricts access to the interior of the country.

▪Poland: Effective March 15, 2020, for a 10 days' period. Entry ban for all foreigners

▪Russia: Borders closed to foreigners with some exceptions, effective March 18 and until May 1.

▪Saudi Arabia: All intl flights suspended, except in exceptional cases, for a period of two weeks, as of March 15, 2020.

▪ Slovakia: Closed its borders to all nonresidents.

▪Suriname: Will close its borders for all persons and flights starting March 14.

▪Trinidad and Tobago: On March 16, closed its borders to all except Trinidad and Tobago nationals

▪Ukraine: Starting March 15, Ukraine has closed its border for foreigners for two weeks.

▪UAE: The UAE has suspended the issuance of all visas to foreigners except diplomatic passport holders, with effect from March 17.

Schengen countries will restrict incoming travel of all non-residents with the exception of family members of EU citizens, medical personnel and people responsible for transport of goods, from March 17 for 30 days.