Women wearing a protective face masks in downtown Erbil following the coronavirus outbreak, Iraqi Kurdistan, March 7, 2020. Photo: Rudaw
SULAIMANI, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that a new case of coronavirus has been recorded in Sulaimani in iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The patient is a 19-year-old woman and is the daughter of a person previously diagnosed as being infected.
The announcement brings the Kurdistan Region’s total to 15, including one death. One patient has recovered from the disease and the remainders are in stable condition.
On Monday the Ministry of Health said that a new case of coronavirus has been recorded in Kurdistan.
The Kurdistan Region has conducted a list of precautionary measures, including shutting down salons, beauty parlors, and bars that offer alcohol, starting on Sunday. The authorities have requested citizens and all sides to abide by the health ministry’s regulations.
The regional tourism board on Monday said it had fined or shut down 98 hotels, cafes, and other tourism destinations for failing to abide by the government’s instructions against the coronavirus epidemic.
While the coronavirus outbreak has reportedly slowed in mainland China where it first appeared, the number of cases is growing in Iran – a new epicenter for the virus – and Europe. The disease has killed over 4,000 people and has infected at least 110,000.
A March 15 deadline has been set by the KRG for people who live in Iraqi Kurdistan to return home from Iran, which has seen the most serious outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) outside of China.
Announcement of the deadline followed a meeting of the High Council to Combat Coronavirus in the Kurdistan Region on Monday, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.
“The deadline for the return of the people of the Kurdistan Region from Islamic Republic of Iran is March 15. From March 16 to April 1, people will not be allowed to return,” according to a post-meeting readout.
In efforts to limit spread of the virus, the Iraqi government suspended all trade traffic with Iran on Sunday, with plans to reopen the crossings on March 15. However, the ban does not apply to the Kurdistan Region’s border crossings, which are currently closed to tourist travel, but remain open to trade from the major goods exporter.
According to the KRG’s health ministry, 2,918 people returning to the Kurdistan Region from Iran have been subjected to a 14-day quarantine, where they have been monitored for coronavirus symptoms. Of this number, 1,790 have been cleared to return home.
A two-week closure of government institutions was also announced at the coronavirus task force meeting.
“There will be a public holiday across all ministries, departments and the Kurdistan Region institutions, other than Peshmerga forces, Asayesh (security forces), interior Asayesh and health institutions from Thursday, March 12 to Thursday March 26,” according to the statement.
Although their closure lines up with the annual public holiday announced for Kurdish New Year (Newroz) on March 21, deputy PM Talabani urged the public to exercise caution amid the coronavirus threat.
“Please, the two-week [holiday] is for self-protection,” Talabani wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. “Do not treat it as you would other holidays. Do not go to crowded places, and adhere to the Health Ministry’s regulations.”
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