Italy on Thursday, July 10 banned entry to people coming from 13 countries –including Armenia – as it said those countries presented an excessive rate of Covid-19 infections, Reuters reports.

Besides Armenia, the list compiled by the health ministry also comprises Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Kuwait, North Macedonia, Moldova, Oman, Panama, Peru and Dominican Republic.

The ban affects anyone who has stayed in or travelled through these countries in the last 14 days, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement.

Travellers from all other countries outside the European Union and the Schengen free movement area can come to Italy but must observe 14 days of quarantine on arrival.

“Around the world the pandemic is in its most acute phase. We cannot waste the sacrifices the Italians have made in recent months,” Speranza said.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia grew by 557 to reach 30,903 on Friday morning, according to information provided by the Health Ministry. So far, 18,709 people have recovered, 546 have died from the coronavirus in the country, while 177 others carrying the virus have died from other causes.