Department for Civil Aviation (DCA) has instructed domestic and international airlines to refuse passengers with high fever to board the planes flying from airports in China to Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw international airports, sources said.

The department is cooperating with respective health departments in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw international airports to prevent the spread of 2019 novel coronavirus.

“World Health Organization (WHO) advised China to perform screening tests at international airports and Myanmar instructed the domestic and international airlines to measure body temperature of their passengers and to refuse them onboard the planes if the passengers have high fever,” said an official from the DCA.

Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) and Myanmar Airways International (MAI) are suspended their chartered flights to China recently.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued an electronic bulletin to its member countries and instructed the pilots to inform the respective air traffic control tower if the passengers with suspected coronavirus symptoms are included in their planes.

The MAI announced it has canceled all chartered flights to Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Jinijang, Linyi, Nanchang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao and Yanta in China from January 31 till further notice.

The MAI also temporarily suspended Yangon-Guangzhou direct flights from February 1 to 29.

The DCA instructed all airlines to help the passengers to fill in health declaration forms provided by respective health organizations.