QUITO, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador will require all visitors to show COVID-19 test results that clear them of having the novel coronavirus, Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo said on Sunday.
The new travel requirement, which takes effect May 21, "will be mandatory," and the test "must have been done a maximum of 72 hours before boarding" a flight to Ecuador, Romo said via Twitter.
"Meanwhile, those arriving (before the new requirement takes effect Thursday) will have to undergo a rapid test," she said.
The new measure was adopted after two passengers infected with the virus arrived from New York earlier this week, despite knowing they had the virus. The two reportedly left the hospital to travel, said the official.
"Cases like these force us to take new precautions," she said.
Since March 12, Ecuador has required visitors to quarantine for 14 days, as part of a slew of measures the government took to contain the country's outbreak.
The lockdown is being relaxed in parts of the country, such as Samborondon in southwest Guayas province, where restaurants are being allowed to resume service.
Professional athletes and teams will also be able to begin training, though championships and contests will have to wait until July, said Romo.
Ecuador is one of Latin America's hardest hit countries, with 32,763 cases of infection and 2,688 deaths, according to the latest official report on Saturday. Enditem
