UAE halts all Iran flights following coronavirus outbreak

The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority has announced the suspension of all flights arriving to and departing from Iran, effective immediately.

According to the GCAA, all passenger and cargo aircraft traveling to and from Iran will be suspended for a period of one week, and could be up for extension.

Bahrain has suspended flights on Tuesday to the world's busiest airport for international travel in Dubai over fears about the spread of the new virus.

Bahrain counted its first case of the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 illness on Monday in a school bus driver who transited Dubai while coming from Iran. Later, it confirmed a second case, also a traveller from Iran via Dubai.

The new coronavirus hit four more Middle Eastern states on Monday, with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Iraq reporting new cases and the UAE calling on its citizens not to travel to Iran and Thailand.

Oman's health ministry said two Omani women were diagnosed with the virus after arriving from Iran, while the sultanate's civil aviation authority said on Monday it had halted all flights to Tehran.

Bahrain also confirmed the first case of the coronavirus even as Kuwait's ministry of health announced on Monday that preliminary tests conducted on passengers arriving from the Iranian city of Mashhad confirmed three cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Afghanistan also reported its first case, officials said.

Anti-government protesters demonstrate wearing surgical masks in Najaf. AFP

A staggering 50 people have died in the Iranian city of Qom from the new coronavirus this month, Iran's semiofficial ILNA news agency reported on Monday.
The new death toll is significantly higher than the latest number of confirmed cases of infections that Iranian officials had reported just a few hours earlier and which stood at just 12 deaths out of 47 cases, according to state TV.

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On Sunday, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan imposed restrictions on travel and immigration from Iran.

Europe's biggest outbreak is in Italy, with some 150 infections — compared with just three before Friday — and a sixth death.

Bahraini citizen

According to the Bahrain News Agency, BNA, the patient was transferred for immediate testing, treatment and isolation under the supervision of a specialised medical team. The ministry undertook further necessary medical measures to monitor all individuals who had been in contact with the patient and referred them to isolation accordingly.

The Bahrain News Agency, BNA, says the patient was transferred for immediate testing, treatment and isolation under the supervision of a specialised medical team. The ministry undertook further necessary medical measures to monitor all individuals who had been in contact with the patient and referred them to isolation accordingly.

The ministry said it is taking further preventive measures to ensure the virus is contained, including monitoring the health of individuals arriving from infected countries for a period of 14 days, in line with international standards set by the World Health Organisation.

Kuwait's cases

Policemen wearing protective masks wait at Sheikh Saad Airport in Kuwait City. AFP

According to WAM, a statement released by Kuwait’s Health Ministry said a 53-year-old Kuwaiti and a 61-year-old Saudi tested positive for the virus with both appearing to be in "normal" condition and not showing any symptoms.

The third, a 21-year-old man has been showing initial symptoms, and all three are "under constant observation by the medical staff," the statement added.

Iranian student in Iraq

Iraq also on Monday confirmed its first novel coronavirus infection in an Iranian national studying in Najaf, health officials said.
The country, which has a dilapidated healthcare system, often hosts pilgrims and religious students from Iran, where 12 people have died since a coronavirus outbreak there was first reported last week.

An Iranian student holds an intravenous injection bag at a quarantine zone in a hospital in Najaf. AFP

Iraq had blocked travel to and from the Islamic republic days before announcing a seminary student in Najaf was the country's first confirmed case.
Najaf's provincial health authority said the Iranian national had entered "before the ban was declared."
An AFP correspondent said the man is being quarantined in a hospital in the city.

MoE launches coronavirus prevention awareness drive

Khawla Al Hosani, Director of the Training and Professional Development Department, said that the campaign aims to promote health education and protect public health, especially in schools, and is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Education, because it protects society from diseases and maintains health and safety, in line with global efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus and raise the awareness of societies about this disease.

The training that is part of the campaign will target school principals, Ministry of Education employees, heads of services units, and health science and physical education teachers, as well as security and safety officers working in schools, who number over 2,000.