Government Communications Office has issued a statement on Bahraini citizens who arrived in Qatar from Iran and are waiting to get home.

The full statement:

On 27 March 2020, 31 Bahraini citizens arrived in Doha on a Qatar Airways flight from Iran. As Bahrain does not allow commercial flights from Qatar, the State of Qatar inquired with officials in Bahrain as to how Qatar could assist in the travellers’ efforts to return home.

Qatar offered to fly the Bahraini citizens on a private charter flight to Bahrain at no expense to the individuals or the government of Bahrain. The government of Bahrain declined this option. Bahraini officials have said they will send a flight for them at some undefined point in the future.

As the health and safety of all individuals in Qatar, and around the world, is paramount at this time, the Ministry of Public Health has administered coronavirus tests for the 31 Bahraini citizens and provided them with accommodation in a quarantine hotel at no cost to them or the government of Bahrain. Those testing positive will receive free and full health care at once. Those testing negative will continue to observe self-isolation for two weeks at a quarantine hotel, at no expense to them. It is our hope that by the end of this two week quarantine, that the government of Bahrain will allow their citizens to return home. If not, we will continue to provide them with hospitality and care.