Manama, March 29, 2020, SPA – Bahrain National Communication Centre (NCC) confirmed that, in light of the global spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Kingdom of Bahrain has initiated the International COVID-19 Repatriation Programme (ICRP) for its citizens who wish to return to the Kingdom, particularly citizens present in Iran, through direct flights managed in line with medical precautions. The NCC stressed that the Qatari authorities should stop interfering with these flights through their scheduling of commercial flights, as doing so exposes not only the travellers to health risks posed by the outbreak of COVID-19,  but also the crews of repatriation aircraft and anyone present at the airports where those flights transit, adding that they lack the necessary precautionary measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The NCC noted that the Qatari authorities should follow the precautionary measures necessary to preserve the health and safety of travellers, aircraft crews and airport staff, in line with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines. The NCC further added that a repatriation flight has been scheduled tomorrow for citizens currently located in Doha, in line with necessary medical measures. --SPA 14:53 LOCAL TIME 11:53 GMT 0012 www.spa.gov.sa/w1297181