Iraq: Kurdish Authorities close border with Turkey on August 4 due to COVID-19 /update 46

Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) closes border with Turkey on August 4 due to COVID-19; follow official directives
Read all related news alert(s):
Iraq: Authorities lift nationwide curfew from September 26 /update 52
Iraq: Authorities suspend flights with Iran until October 8 /update 51
Iraq: Authorities ease COVID-19 restrictions September 8 /update 50
Iraq: Over 250,000 COVID-19 cases reported as of September 4 /update 49
Iraq: Officials in Iraqi Kurdistan announce highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases on August 11 /update 48
Iraq: COVID-19 curfew extended nationwide until August 15 /update 47
Iraq: Passengers traveling from Erbil and Sulaimani airports to undergo COVID-19 tests prior to travel from August 1 /update 45
Iraq: Authorities announce total lockdown for Eid Al-Adha holiday until August 9 /update 44
Iraq: Authorities report highest daily increase of COVID-19 cases on July 25 /update 43
Iraq: Authorities announce easing of nationwide curfew and re-opening of airports July 16 /update 42
Iraq: Authorities extend commercial flight suspension until July 22 /update 41
Iraq: Authorities reopen Mandali (Diyala province) border crossing with Iran July 11 /update 40
Iraq: Authorities ease COVID-19 restrictions in Erbil province on July 4 /update 39
Iraq: Authorities extend flight ban until July 15 /update 38
Iraq: Authorities to impose total lockdown in Erbil province from June 30 /update 37
Iraq: Authorities announce extension of flight suspension until July 1 /update 36
Iraq: Provinces introduce comprehensive curfews on June 23 /update 35
Iraq: Government extends suspension of commercial flights until June 13 /update 34
Iraq: Government extends nationwide curfew until June 13 /update 33
Iraq: Government imposes nationwide curfew until June 6 /update 32
Iraq: KRG imposes region-wide lockdown until June 6 /update 31
Iraq: Authorities extend suspension of air traffic until May 31 /update 30
Iraq: Domestic and travel restrictions modified May 11-12 /update 29
Iraq: Nationwide curfew hours modified May 11 /update 28
Iraq: Authorities impose full lockdown on Kirkuk province May 4-9 /update 27
Iraq: Authorities extend nationwide curfew hours April 28 /update 26
Iraq: Security forces wound at least seven anti-government protesters in Al-Rifai (Dhi Qar province) April 27 /update 25
Iraq: Commercial flight suspension extended until May 22 /update 24
Iraq: Authorities announce Ramadan-specific easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures April 21 /update 23
Iraq: Authorities announce the implementation of partial curfew from April 23 /update 22
Iraq: Nationwide curfew extended until April 23 /update 21
Iraq: Nationwide restrictions extended through April 18 /update 20
Iraq: Local officials claim high number of unreported COVID-19 cases April 2 /update 19
Iraq: Nationwide curfew extended until April 19 /update 18
Iraq: Kurdish Regional Government extends restrictions through April 16 /update 17
Iraq: Nationwide lockdown extended to April 11 /update 16
Iraq: Nationwide lockdown implemented March 22 /update 15
Iraq: Lockdown extended in Kurdistan Region March 18 /update 14
Iraq: Authorities implement further measures due to COVID-19 from March 17 /update 13
Iraq: Officials cancel Friday prayers and Nowruz festivities March 11 /update 12
Iraq: Authorities ban public gatherings, religious centers March 9 /update 11
Iraq: Authorities order closure of Najaf province over COVID-19 outbreak March 11 /update 10
Iraq: Six COVID-19-related deaths reported on March 8 /update 9
Iraq: Government extends entry restrictions to France and Spain March 6 /update 8
Iraq: Government confirms two COVID-19 deaths March 4 /update 7
Iraq: COVID-19-related business disruptions and movement restrictions February 29 /update 6
Iraq: Government bans public gatherings and extends travel restrictions to nine countries February 26 /update 5
Iraq: Officials extend entry restrictions for travelers from five countries February 25 /update 4
Iraq: Officials in Najaf confirm first coronavirus case February 24 /update 3
Iraq: Authorities extend ban on travel to and from Iran amid COVID-19 outbreak February 23 /update 2
Event
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on Tuesday, August 4, that Iraq's border crossing with Turkey will be closed until Tuesday, August 11, to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Only commercial vehicles, or those issued with a special permit from the KRG Ministry of Interior, will be allowed through the Habur-Ibrahim Khalil border during this period.
Additionally, authorities in the KRG imposed tighter travel restrictions between the region and the rest of Iraq, with no travel permitted between the two through August 11 without an electronic permit. Public gatherings and events are banned, with tourist areas, parks and restaurants closed indefinitely.
Any passengers traveling from Erbil (EBL) and Sulaimani (ISU) international airports in the Kurdistan region must provide a negative COVID-19 test to be permitted to fly. Passengers must be tested for COVID-19 in the 48 hours prior to their flight. Passengers will need to pay for their test, which costs 100,000 Iraqi dinars (84 USD). The airports of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah opened on Saturday, August 1.
In the rest of Iraq, a total nationwide lockdown remains in place until August 9, as a precaution to limit the spread of COVID-19 over the Eid Al-Adha holiday. The measure does not apply in areas administered by the KRG.
Despite the additional restrictions and increase in cases, airports elsewhere in Iraq reopened for limited international commercial flights on July 23, with flights resuming to Beirut and Cairo from Baghdad. Further airports are to reopen in the near future. Restrictions that have been previously lifted may be reinstated should cases continue rising.
As of August 4, health authorities have confirmed 131,886 COVID-19 cases, with 4934 associated deaths in the country. Further spread of the virus is expected in the near term.
Context
The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.
Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.
Advice
Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.
To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:
- Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
- When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
- If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.
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