BAGHDAD, Dec 23 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi authorities yesterday took several restrictive measures, including a travel ban to eight countries, where the new strain of virus has spread, as the total nationwide infections reached 586,503.
A statement by the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, said, the Council of Ministers, headed by al-Kadhimi, held a meeting to take new restrictive measures, to protect the Iraqi people from a new strain of virus, that has spread recently in many countries, which is characterised by rapid transmission of infection.
Among the new measures, the council decided to ban travel to Britain, South Africa, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Iran, Japan, and any other country that the Iraqi Ministry of Health would recommend, the statement said.
The council also banned the entry of foreign travellers to Iraq, except for Iraqi citizens, who must be quarantined for 14 days until they undergo PCR tests, to prove that they are not infected with the virus.
The council also decided to close all ground border crossings, except for emergencies, without giving further details about the duration of the closure. In addition, the council decided to close malls, restaurants, and other public facilities for two weeks, starting from tomorrow, according to the statement.
The decisions prevented the entry of employees and citizens to government institutions, without wearing masks, it added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health reported 1,158 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 586,503.
The ministry also reported 15 new deaths and 1,707 more recovered cases, raising the death toll to 12,725 and total recoveries to 524,344, which represents more than 89 percent of total infections.
A total of 4,221,416 tests have been carried out, since the outbreak of the disease in Feb, with 38,950 done during the day, according to the statement.
