Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Location: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu
Event: As of March 17, the governments of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu have not confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) within their borders.
Effective March 14, the government of Papua New Guinea announced additional enhanced screening and travel restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Any traveler who has been to or transited through the United States, or any other restricted place, in the 14 days prior to their intended arrival in Papua New Guinea will not be permitted to enter the country.
As of March 17, the other restricted places are mainland China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. The governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu have also put in place enhanced screening and travel restrictions that may adversely affect U.S. citizen travelers and flight schedules.
Travelers should be prepared for additional travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.
The Department of State has issued a Global Level 3 Health Advisory for COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Global COVID-19 Outbreak Notice.
Actions to Take:
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Visit U.S. Embassy Port Moresby’s webpage on COVID-19: https://pg.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ for information on conditions in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s websiteon the latest travel restrictions to the United States.