Iraq rejects rumors on closing borders with Iran over virus outbreak

Iraq’s Health Ministry spokesman, Seif al-Badr, in a statement on Thursday, said that no order has been issued to the border authorities to close the gateways with Iran due to the new virus outbreak.

This is while some foreign media circulated the rumor that Iraq had directed all health centers operating in the ports with Iran to implement new restrictions on the travelers and merchandise coming from Iran.

According to Iran’s health ministry, five patients have tested positive for the coronavirus in the cities of Qom and Arak, two of whom died on Wednesday.

The government announced on Thursday the establishment of a ‘Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters’ to counter the deadly virus.