Erbil Governor on Wednesday announced that all Nawroz (Kurdish New Year) festivals are cancelled as part of measures against coronavirus outbreak.
Every year on 21st March, which marks the Kurdish New Year’s Eve, hundreds of thousands of people gather together to celebrate the beginning of Spring around Kurdistan.
Governor Firsat Sofi told reporters that all public festivals are cancelled for this year despite the fact that there has been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Kurdistan Region.
However, since Kurdistan borders Iran where 19 people have so far died from coronavirus, the regional government has taken strict measures to prevent the spread of the new virus.
KRG has already closed down the border crossings with Iran and suspended the schools and universities while preparations at hospitals and healthcare centers are underway.