According to the recommendations of the National Directorate of Public Health, to which Lusa had access, citizens from abroad will not be able to leave for any reason for 14 days, a quarantine that also extends to the remaining family members.
"People who do not comply with the quarantine may endanger the health" of others, so if there is a suspicion of violating the rules with which they "voluntarily" agreed, they will be immediately taken "by law enforcement agencies to quarantine centers" defined.
The quarantine will be followed by a multidisciplinary team from the police and health authorities, and a Rapid Response team will also be sent "to complement the epidemiological and clinical investigation".
This service will be responsible for verifying the person's well-being and taking personal goods and medicines for continuous use, the document said.
Initially, the first statement from the Interministerial Commission for the Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, released on 17 March, which imposed a mandatory quarantine on citizens from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Portugal, Spain and France indicated that this would be fulfilled in specific centers, an information that was confirmed on the same day by the National Director of Public Health, Helga Freitas.
However, the next day, when the new border restrictions came into force, the chaos generated at the 04 de Fevereiro International Airport, in Luanda, will have led the authorities to change their opinion.
Passengers, some from Portugal, reported that they had to wait for several hours to leave the airport and that some were being taken to the quarantine center in Calumbo (Viana), while others were going to fulfill their isolation at home.
The alleged discrimination created unease and anger among the travelers who all ended up being allowed to quarantine at home.
The authorities did not comment on the reasons that led to change the way the 14 days of quarantine would be accomplished.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, signed a decree that determines the closure of land, sea and air borders to the circulation of people from 00:00 on March 20.
Angola has so far no confirmed case of infection.
