COVID-19: After spike in new cases, Kurdistan announces partial curfew in all 4 provinces

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The autonomous Kurdistan Region announced on Wednesday that it would again enforce a partial curfew for four days as part of efforts to counter a recent increase in coronavirus infections.

According to an Interior Ministry statement, the curfew will restrict both pedestrian and vehicular movement in all four of the region’s provinces from eight in the evening until six in the morning starting Thursday and will last until Sunday.

The statement pointed out that the passage of vehicles run by United Nations agencies, international organizations, the US-led anti-ISIS coalition, diplomats, security forces, health teams, oil companies, telecommunications companies, ambulances, and journalists on official duty.

Trade will be allowed to continue between the four provinces, as well as with Iraqi provinces outside the Kurdistan Region. Pharmacies will also remain open.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) health ministry reported 1,217 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total so far to 128,264. Thirteen new deaths bring overall fatalities to 3,756.

The coronavirus has infected more than 132 million people worldwide and killed over 2.8 million, according to Johns Hopkins University’s database. The actual figures could be dramatically higher due to insufficient testing capabilities or underreporting.

Editing by John J. Catherine