Coronavirus: KRG bans non-emergency travel between provinces

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Non-emergency travel between provinces has been banned by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) from March 14 to 28 in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, according to an interior ministry statement.

“Medical teams, diplomats, organizations, UN-affiliated agencies, security forces, and businessmen” are exempt from the movement ban, according to the statement, seen by Rudaw.

Emergency travel by non-exempt groups and individuals “requires the approval of Operations Room for each province and other independent units,” the statement added.

The ban extends to travel the between the semiautonomous Kurdistan Region and federal Iraqi provinces. 

The ministry has also limited the movement of trade between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey and Iran.  

It ordered “the limitation of movement and trade imports in Bashmakh, Parwezkhan, and Ibrahim Khalil border crossings”. 

Border trade will be “reorganized” so that “no touching takes place between people and the drivers”, it added.

Iran has seen the biggest death toll outside China, where the virus originated. Turkey confirmed its first case on Wednesday. 

The new travel restrictions follow confirmation on Wednesday of three new cases of coronavirus in the Kurdistan Region capital of Erbil by the KRG health ministry. 

The latest case brings the total number of infections in the Kurdistan Region to 19.  

The KRG has taken several measures to prevent the further spread of the virus, including announcing a national holiday until the end of March, closing beauty salons, bars, and children’s play areas. 

Further measures announced by the interior ministry late on Wednesday include a deadline of March 16 for all Kurdistan Region residents to return from Iran. 

Tourist resorts are to be closed and all sports events canceled, except the Iraq FA Cup which will take place without spectators. 

Flights from the Kurdistan Region’s airports to Baghdad and Basra are to be banned from March 14 until March 28, exempting “diplomats, official delegations, and UN and coalition delegations”.

Syria’s Ajnaha al-Sham airline flights to and from the Kurdistan Region are also bring suspended. 

The KRG has instructed the public to avoid crowded places over the Newroz (Kurdish New Year) period. 

“The people must adhere to the coronavirus prevention instructions issued by Kurdistan Regional Government, especially those related to the reduction of Newroz trips, and more than a family should not gather in a specific area,” read the interior ministry statement. 

Last updated 10.00 pm