Shafaq News / Muhammad Jamil Al-Mayahi, the governor of Wasit in southern Iraq announced on Wednesday, closing Zurbatiy border crossing with Iran for 15 days, as part of precautionary measures against Corona virus.

He said in an official letter addressed to the Border Ports Authority, that “due to recording suspected cases and infections in Wasit Governorate, it has been decided to close Zurbatiy border crossing for a period of 15 days.”

He added, "This decision is one of the pre-emptive measures to prevent the transmission of Corona virus infection through foreign travelers and the commercial movement to preserve the health and safety of the people of the province."

Al-Mayyhi explained that “otherwise the Border Ports Authority bears full responsibility for the consequences of keeping the port open.”

On Tuesday, the Iraqi Ministry of Health announced recording 5 new infections with Corona virus, bringing the total number of people infected to 32.

The Iraqi authorities have closed the outlets of land crossings with Iran in the provinces of Kurdistan Region and Diyala (east).

Last Wednesday, the authorities decided to suspend universities and schools, close public assembly centers for a period of 10 days, and ban citizens from traveling to 9 countries, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Italy, Kuwait, and Bahrain, with the exception of official and foreign delegations and diplomatic bodies.

At the end of January, the World Health Organization declared an emergency on an international scale to cope with the outbreak of the virus, which later spread to several countries, causing a state of terror throughout the world.