(ANSA) - LISBON, JAN 31 - Portugal has banned travel abroad, except for essential reasons, to counter the spread of Covid-19, which, according to AFP calculations, has caused the small country of 10 million inhabitants the most affected in the world in proportion to the population, with over 12,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths.
This was stated by the interior ministry of Lisbon, which specified the only exceptions allowed for cross-border travel: work abroad, medical emergency, transport of goods or family reunions.
In Elvas, one of the main border crossings with Spain, the police checked dozens of cars.
As for arrivals from EU and Schengen countries, Portugal divided them by country of origin into four categories, depending on the incidence of the infection per 100,000 inhabitants: they range from Norway, from which Lisbon has no restrictions, to intermediate ones, such as Italy and France, from which passengers must submit a negative alcoronavirus test within 72 hours of departure, to those such as Spain and Ireland, for which in addition to the negative test it is mandatory to observe 14 days of quarantine.
Portugal has banned flights from Brazil and the UK.
(HANDLE).