Port Health Officials from the Ministry of Health on Thursday nabbed 17 people en route to Dubai from Nairobi with fake COVID-17 clearance certificates.
They were arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport a week after the United Arab Emirates suspended Visas for Kenyans travelling to Dubai and other states within the UAE.
Kenyan was among 13 other countries which were issued with a Visa ban by the UAE due to an increase in its COVID-19 cases.
Kenya is among other countries in the world battling the second wave of COVID-19.
In the last few days, the UAE cited that some travelers from Kenya have been presenting fake COVID-19 clearance certificates.
The clearance states they are COVID-19 negative but upon testing in Dubai they turn positive which raised alarm.
During the operation held earlier in the day at JKIA, four more passengers who were in possession of fake COVID-19 clearance letters escaped.
Police together with Port Health officials are currently pursuing them.
Port Health is domiciled at the Ministry of Health headquarters at Afya House, a unit formed to tackle the clearance of inbound and outbound passengers on matters regarding COVID-19 clearance certification.
Travellers to Kenya are required to list their details with Port Health officials upon arrival in Kenya to ease in tracing them in case of an emergency.
On Thursday the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 80,000 with reported 1,417 deaths so far.
The UAE Visa ban for Kenya also spelt doom for countries such as, Yemen, Iran, Libya, Syria, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
When issuing the ban, the UAE stated that those who had already been issued with Visas would not be affected by the ban.
17 arrested at JKIA with fake COVID-19 clearance certificates
Port Health Officials from the Ministry of Health on Thursday nabbed 17 people en route to Dubai from Nairobi with fake COVID-17 clearance certificates.
They were arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport a week after the United Arab Emirates suspended Visas for Kenyans travelling to Dubai and other states within the UAE.
Kenyan was among 13 other countries which were issued with a Visa ban by the UAE due to an increase in its COVID-19 cases.
Kenya is among other countries in the world battling the second wave of COVID-19.
In the last few days, the UAE cited that some travelers from Kenya have been presenting fake COVID-19 clearance certificates.
The clearance states they are COVID-19 negative but upon testing in Dubai they turn positive which raised alarm.
During the operation held earlier in the day at JKIA, four more passengers who were in possession of fake COVID-19 clearance letters escaped.
Police together with Port Health officials are currently pursuing them.
Port Health is domiciled at the Ministry of Health headquarters at Afya House, a unit formed to tackle the clearance of inbound and outbound passengers on matters regarding COVID-19 clearance certification.
Travellers to Kenya are required to list their details with Port Health officials upon arrival in Kenya to ease in tracing them in case of an emergency.
On Thursday the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 80,000 with reported 1,417 deaths so far.
The UAE Visa ban for Kenya also spelt doom for countries such as, Yemen, Iran, Libya, Syria, Turkey, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
When issuing the ban, the UAE stated that those who had already been issued with Visas would not be affected.
