The Republic of Ireland has blacklisted Kenya due to its high number of Covid-19 infections.
In a statement on Saturday, The Embassy of Ireland in Kenya said that Kenya has joined the list of designated states.
This means that all travellers headed to Ireland transiting through Kenya must quarantine at a hotel on arrival starting April 15.
Please note — Kenya has been added to the list of designated states for mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland. From 4am on 15 April, passengers arriving in Ireland from Kenya,” read the statement.
All travellers are now required to book a hotel for quarantine before arrival to Ireland.
“From 4am on 15 April, passengers arriving in Ireland from Kenya must have prebooked mandatory hotel quarantine before travel.”
This comes barely a week after Britain added Kenya to the ‘red list’. This means no traveller who has been in Kenya or transited through the East African country en route to the UK will be allowed to enter England from April 9.
According to a new travel advisory passed on March 31 by UK ministers, the decision was taken in light of increasing Kenyans travelling to the UK who test positive for Covid-19 on their second day of quarantine.
“As the esteemed Ministry will be aware, travellers from all countries re required to take Covid-19 tests on Days 2 and 8 following their arrival in the UK. On the average of 550 people that travel from Kenya to the UK each week, a significant number are testing positive on day 2.
Neary a third of those testing positives have been carrying the B.1.351 variant, which originated in South Africa,” a statement signed by UK High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Mariott read.
On the other hand, “British and Irish nationals and third-country nationals with residence rights in the UK arriving in England from Kenya will be required to quarantine in a hotel. “
