Coronavirus spreads across Middle East
World+Biz
New coronavirus cases surged across the Middle East as Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan and Iraq on Monday reported confirmed cases of coronavirus which has killed more than 2,600 globally.
Kuwait reported three cases, while Bahrain and Iraq each confirmed one with coronavirus known as COVID-19, reported Al Jazeera.
The first new case of the deadly coronavirus has been detected today in Bahrain after a citizen arrived from Iran and was suspected of having contracted the disease, the Bahrain News Agency reported according to country's Ministry of Health.
The patient was transferred to a medical centre for immediate testing and is currently receiving treatment under the supervision of a specialized medical team.
Iraq's Ministry of Health in a statement on Monday said that the first coronavirus case in Iraq has been identified as a student from Iran, who had apparently travelled to Iran before Iraq had imposed the travel ban, reported the CNN.
The statement also said that the student has been admitted into quarantine in the city of Najaf.
"The ministry would like to clarify that the tests results made today for one Iranian student showed a positive infection of a student who entered Iraq before the travel ban decision," the statement said.
Iran announced on Sunday that eight people have died in the country from coronavirus, marking the first deaths from the outbreak in the region. The Iranian Ministry of Health said that there are 43 confirmed cases of the illness in Iran.
Meanwhile, Turkey, Pakistan and Armenia have closed their borders with Iran, as authorities reported 43 coronavirus infections and 12 deaths.
In Italy, at least 152 cases and four deaths have been reported in the country's north, prompting emergency measures in Europe.
China had 150 new confirmed deaths from the coronavirus till Sunday, the National Health Commission announced, pushing the death toll nationwide to 2,592 among 77,150 confirmed cases, while South Korea's cases reached 833 with seven confirmed deaths.
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