SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said on Wednesday it would impose a partial lockdown in the Region, as part of measures to confront the third wave of coronavirus.
The KRG Supreme Committee to Combat Coronavirus said in a statement that it had made the decision due to a sharp rise in the coronavirus cases in the Region.
The Kurdistan Region recorded its biggest daily increase in coronavirus infections on Wednesday with 1,217 new cases, taking its total so far to 128,264 including 3,756 deaths.
The committee said the partial lockdown would be in place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., starting from Thursday until April 12.
“Banning pedestrian and vehicle travel in the provinces of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok and Halabja as well as the administrations of Raparin and Garmian from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.,” the statement read.
U.N. and international organizations, diplomatic missions, security forces, health workers, oil companies, communications companies, ambulances, and journalists are exempt from the curfew, according to the statement.
The supreme committee also said trade exchange between the Kurdistan Region’s provinces and administrations with other provinces under the federal government’s control would continue.
Kurdish health officials have warned that the Kurdistan Region is facing a “dangerous phase” of the coronavirus pandemic, urging people to follow the health guidelines designed to curb the virus spread.
The KRG imposed a ban on travel between the Region and other Iraqi provinces on Monday, as part of measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak.
On March 31, the KRG supreme committee to combat coronavirus also closed all religious sites, including mosques, churches and temples, as part of measures to curb the virus spread.
The ministry of interior also announced new restrictions on March 30.
Under the new restrictions, schools and universities remain closed until April 10, according to the ministry. Restaurants, cafeterias, clubs, game centers and other public places would be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day.
*This story was updated at 11:05 p.m. EBL time
