Coronavirus: Erbil governor orders bars, beauty salons and play areas to shut
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Firsat Sofi, governor of Erbil, has ordered all bars, beauty salons and public play areas across the city to close from March 8 until April 1 to prevent an outbreak of coronavirus. The first case COVID-19 was confirmed in Erbil on Friday night.
“All women salons and beauty centers and all bars will be closed down from March 8 to April 1 in Erbil,” read an announcement from Sofi’s office. The measures also extend to children's play areas in “malls, public parks, and other public places from March 8 to April 1.”
Erbil’s first case of coronavirus was confirmed on Friday night as a 33-year-old woman who municipal authorities say is pregnant but in good health.
The Kurdistan Region has nine confirmed cases of the virus, which has wreaked global havoc since appearing in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has already ordered schools to close, banned large public gatherings, and cut government working hours in an attempt to stem the spread of the illness.
Kurdish and Iraqi authorities quickly closed their borders with Iran and canceled direct flights serving Iranian cities once the scale of the outbreak became clear.
Iraqi citizens returning from Iran were required to spend two weeks in quarantine before they are permitted to return home.
As of Thursday, at least 283 people had been released from quarantine in Soran, northern Erbil province, according to the local health directorate.
One person died in Sulaimani this week after contracting the disease.