Ghana to fine airlines $3500 if they allow unvaccinated passengers to travel

Ghana announced it will fine airlines US$3,500 for each passenger who arrives in the capital's international airport without being fully vaccinated.

A country has enforced a tough new rule on airlines who decide to bring in unvaccinated passengers, as the Omicron variant rips around the world.

Ghana announced it will fine airlines US$3,500 for each passenger who arrives in the capital's international airport without being fully vaccinated.

The new rule, which takes effect on Wednesday, means that under new measures air carriers will also be penalised the same amount for travellers who did not fill out a health declaration form before boarding their flight to Kotoka International Airport in Accra. The decision follows the health ministry move last week to require all people entering Ghana to be vaccinated.

The new measure is considered to be one of the strictest in Africa, especially in the midst of the new Omicron variant outbreak.

Africa has been challenged by vaccine uptake given a lack of supply and logistical issues in getting doses in to and around the country.

"The current increase in cases together with the detection of the Omicron variant among international arrivals and the expected increase during the festive season calls for urgent actions to prevent a major surge in Covid-19 cases in Ghana," the Ghana Health Service said last week in announcing its decision.

According to local media, the other reason for the fines is because over the last two weeks, COVID-19 cases recorded at Kotoka airport accounted for about 60 per cent of total infections in the country, the health service said on Friday.