COPENHAGEN - Denmark announced on Friday
it would shut its borders to most foreign visitors for a month
from Saturday, in a move unprecedented in peacetime as part of
efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus.
The restrictions will come into force on
Saturday and continue until at least April 13, Prime Minister
Mette Frederiksen told a news conference.
"All tourists, all travel, all vacations, and all foreigners
who cannot demonstrate a credible reason to enter Denmark will
be denied entrance at the Danish border," Frederiksen said.
Danish citizens and foreigners working in Denmark will still
be free to enter and leave the country. The transport of goods,
including foods, medicine and industry supplies, will also not
be affected, she said.
The country of 5.7 million people has reported 801 confirmed
cases of coronavirus so far and no deaths.
Large swathes of Denmark have been in lockdown since
Thursday after the government shut all schools and universities
and sent home all public sector workers with non-critical jobs
in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.
The government has notified neighbouring countries Germany,
Norway and Sweden as well as the European Commission,
Frederiksen said, adding that authorities would need a few days
to fully establish the border controls.