Jordan resumes repatriation of stranded nationals

Around 2,000 repatriated Jordanians are still completing mandatory quarantine. (File/Petra)
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  • The government earlier halted the repatriation mission after recording a spike of COVID-19 infections in the country
  • Over 20,000 Jordanians have been repatriated over the mission’s last three stages

DUBAI: Registration for the fourth stage of Jordan’s repatriation mission is ongoing, an official said, with the first flight to begin on July 10.

Over 20,000 Jordanians have been repatriated over the mission’s last three stages, the country’s Director of the Crisis Management Cell Mazen Faraya said.

The last phase involved returning about 7,000 citizens, Faraya added, as reported by state news agency Petra.

He said the new batch of returnees travelling by land – estimated at 500 – will arrive on July 10, and will run for a period of three days from countries such as Syria, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Iraq.

The government earlier halted the repatriation mission after recording a spike of COVID-19 infections in the country – particularly among the returnees.

Faraya mentioned around 2,000 repatriated Jordanians are still completing mandatory quarantine.

The resumption of repatriation comes as the country continues to reopen local industries in a bid to counter the pandemic’s impact.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Majd Shweikeh has announced the country would open application for people who want to visit Jordan for medical reasons.

She said 20 hospitals have expressed readiness to start receiving medical tourists.

Shweikeh noted there was a steep increase of people seeking medical treatment in Jordan, and measures have been put in place to ensure safety amid the pandemic.