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Erbil city streets deserted amid coronavirus lockdown

15-03-2020

21 Photos

Sarkawt Mohammed @SarkawtMMarwan

Erbil’s ancient citadel is usually brimming with visitors from all over the world. But with the city under a lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, only doves and pigeons populated the public square below on Saturday.

Roads and markets are blocked off for two days in the Kurdistan Region cities of Erbil and Sulaimani, until midnight on March 15. The interior ministry measure hopes to stifle a full-blown outbreak of the highly contagious virus, otherwise known as Covid-19, by limiting people's interactions in crowded places.

Similar curfews of varying lengths have been announced across Iraqi provinces and internationally.

People working in certain professions are exempt from the lockdown in Kurdish cities, including healthcare professionals, water and utility maintenance workers, and journalists.

Erbil residents have largely been adhering to the lockdown, Erbil's traffic police said in a statement on Saturday.

The Kurdistan Region currently has a total of 28 recorded cases of the virus.

Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah / Rudaw

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah0

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah1

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah2

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah3

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah4

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah5

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah6

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah7

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah8

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah9

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah10

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah11

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah12

Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah13

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Erbil streets on lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus. March 14, 2020. Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah20