Kurdistan extends regionwide coronavirus curfew until April 10
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced a 10-day extension to the curfew aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus now in place across all four provinces of the autonomous federal region. The measure, which restricts even pedestrian movement in many cases, had been set to expire on Wednesday.
Regional Interior Minister Reber Ahmed said in a press conference held in Erbil on Tuesday afternoon that “after the approval of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who is also the head of the High Committee to Combat Coronavirus in the region, we decided to extend the curfew for another 10 days,” specifying that the new period begins on April 1 and continues until April 10.
Ahmed also emphasized that the KRG's claim that the imposition of the strict regionwide curfew since March 13 had likely prevented thousands of people from being infected with the highly-contagious virus. He also stressed that even residents would soon not be allowed to enter the Kurdistan Region during the lockdown.
“Families and individuals who are outside of the region have 72 hours to return and go to their places of residence” but that no one will be allowed to enter the Kurdistan Region after this grace period expires.
"The governors have the authority to facilities citizens' movement for shopping and acquiring their daily needs," Ahmed continued, expressing his hope that citizens will abide by instructions and preventive measures to limit the spread of CIVID-19.
"We will legally prosecute all those who urge the public to violate the curfew and we will take legal measures against them," he concluded.
On Sunday, security officials in Sulaimani province announced that their forces had arrested over 100 individuals since the first coronavirus related travel restrictions went into effect in late February for attempting to smuggle people into the province from Iran to avoid being quarantined amid the outbreak of coronavirus in the region.
Read More: Kurdistan arrests over 100 for smuggling people from Iran to avoid quarantine
Police in the Kurdistan Region's capital of Erbil said on Saturday that they had seized five vehicles carrying 52 individuals as their drivers were attempting to smuggle them into the city from the direction of the disputed city of Kirkuk, the most recent of several such incidents in the regional capital.
Officially referred to as COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus was first reported by Chinese authorities in late 2019. As it continues to spread worldwide, it has infected over 826,000 people and killed more than 40,000, according to government-reported data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The actual figures could be dramatically higher due to insufficient testing capabilities or underreporting
Earlier on Tuesday, the Kurdistan Region's Health Ministry confirmed 12 infections across the region over the past 24 hours.
Read More: KRG confirms 12 new COVID-19 cases, raising total to 162
A ministry statement said that health authorities had carried out 607 tests over the past 24 hours, 395 in Erbil, 111 in Sulaymaniyah, and 101 in Dohuk. It confirmed that 12 new individuals tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The statement highlighted that the tally in the Kurdistan Region has now added up to 162 people, including two deaths, and 57 who have recovered. The rest, the Health Ministry noted, are under careful medical supervision.
The nationwide tally of coronavirus cases in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, has reached 630, 46 of which have been fatal.
In a public statement on Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Iraq said it expects a sharp increase in infections across the country within the next week.
Editing by John J. Catherine