Erbil governorate announces new total lockdown

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Erbil province will be put under total lockdown for nearly five days, announced the ministry of interior late Sunday.

Firsat Sofi, governor of Erbil, informed Rudaw that the provincial lockdown will begin on Tuesday, rather than on Monday as previously noted in a statement

The order will now be put in place between Tuesday, June 30, at 6:00 am and 11:59 pm on Saturday, July 4.

All civilian movement will be prohibited, including vehicle traffic.

Residents will be allowed to purchase essentials at their local bakeries, supermarkets, groceries, and pharmacies, which will remain open during the lockdown, according to the issued order. No hours of operation have been specified for the essential businesses.

Military, humanitarian, diplomatic mission, oil and gas company, and medical vehicles are allowed to move freely during the lockdown, as well as fire department and public sanitation company vehicles.

All non-commercial transportation between Erbil and other Kurdistan Region provinces remains prohibited.

Journalists are allowed to move within the province for their work commitments, but will not be allowed to enter Erbil province until 11:59 pm July 4.

On Sunday, the KRG health ministry recorded 139 new cases of the virus, as well as six coronavirus-related deaths - two in Erbil province, two in Sulaimani province, one in Raparin, and one in Halabja province.

So far, the Region has recorded 5,672 cases of the virus. Of this figure, 1,675 people have recovered and 186 have died after contracting the virus.