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Although Iran continues to report just 5 COVID-19 cases (2 fatal) we are seeing a great deal of activity on the part of local health officials, and expressions of concern from Iran's neighbor Iraq. This afternoon there have been persistent reports that Iraq either had - or was about to - close their border with Iran.
According to Iran's State run media IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency), the decision has been made to prevent travel from Iran into Iraq for at least the next 72 hours, but travelers traveling to Iran are still permitted.
Iraq closed its land borders with Iran for three days
BAGHDAD - IRNA - Iraq closed its land borders with Iran for three days on Thursday night as a precautionary measure.
The Iraqi Border Crossing Authority announced that its land borders were closed to Iranian travelers for up to three days.
The decision to close its borders was made at tonight's meeting of representatives of the Ministries of Health, Environment, Defense, Foreign Affairs, State and Transport.
Citizens entering Iran from Iraq will not be included in the ban, and imports of various products from Iran will continue at the border crossings, according to the Iraqi Border Crossing Bureau.
Also today, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport has suspended flights to Baghdad's state-run Al-Iraqiya Airlines to Iran.
The corona virus emerged late last December (December-December) at the seafood market in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, and many people around the world have been infected with it since.
The disease has been reported in several countries, including the United States, France, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
Kianoush Jahanpour, head of the Iranian Ministry of Health's Center for Public Relations and Information, also said that five people were infected with the new coronavirus in Qom and Arak as of this morning. According to Crowid 2, all three patients are Iranian nationals and the person in Arak is a resident of Qom and is a physician associate.
