Health Alert: Current Status of Evacuation of U.S. Citizens from Guinea
A special chartered flight for U.S. citizens departed Conakry on Tuesday April 7, 2020 for Dulles Airport in the Washington DC area and arrived in the early morning hours of April 8. We have no plans for additional chartered evacuation flights from Guinea to the United States at this time.
We understand that the Ethiopian Airlines commercial flight originally scheduled for April 10 has been cancelled.
The Gbessia International Airport in Conakry is closed to commercial traffic, and there are no current options for air travel into or out of Guinea.
Given the closure of airports and reduction of flight options worldwide, U.S. citizens should be prepared to remain outside the United States for an extended period, until commercial flights reopen.
Any information we have regarding options to return to the United States will be send out via STEP messages, so if you have not done so, please register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This is the only way to receive up-to-date information about U.S. Embassy activities in Guinea.
The Smart Traveler Registration Program (STEP) is a free service that allows US citizens and US citizens traveling and residing abroad to register their trip with the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. To register follow this link: http://step.state.gov/
Visit our website at https://gn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/ for additional information on these new measures.
On March 19, 2020 the Department of State issued a Level 4 Global Health Advisory to U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.
On March 14, the Department of State authorized the departure from any diplomatic or consular post in the world of US personnel and family members who have been medically determined to be at higher risk of a poor outcome if exposed to COVID-19.
U.S. government personnel in Guinea are teleworking to reduce the risk of transmission, have been ordered to maintain appropriate social distancing and leave their residences only for urgent matters, cancelled all but urgent outside meetings, and directed that only critical in-person meetings be held internally.
In response to the ongoing global COVID-19 outbreak the Peace Corps has withdrawn all Peace Corps volunteers from Guinea.
The government of Guinea has reported 164 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March 12, 2020, and no deaths.
The government of Guinea has implemented enhanced screening and quarantine measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and declared a Health State of Emergency which includes:
- A curfew has been imposed between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Movement is limited to work, shopping for necessities, medical care, purchasing medicine or medical supplies, and emergency situations only.
- The Govt of Guinea has closed all land borders.
- Mosques, churches, educational institutions, bars, cinemas, and other service industry businesses are ordered closed.
- Any assembly is limited to 20 persons, and various passenger number limitations were also enacted for different types of vehicles.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Warning for COVID-19 advising travelers to avoid all non-essential travel.
Actions to Take:
- Enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
- 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 our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Guinea.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Conakry, Guinea
Phone number: +224-655-10-40-00 (U.S. citizen emergencies only)
Email address: ConakryACS@state.gov
https://gn.usembassy.gov/ - State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444