SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on Monday a 17-point decision to curb coronavirus outbreak in the Kurdistan Region.
The KRG’s Supreme Committee to Combat Coronavirus said students of grade 1 until 11 would continue to study online, while grade 12 students in the public and private schools would be able to attend in-person classes.
The committee further said university and institution students would also continue to study online, while those that have exams can do examinations in classes, taking into consideration health guidelines.
The committee also decided to reopen religious sites including mosques, churches and temples.
Party halls and places for social and religious occasions as well as cinema halls in malls and public places remain closed until further notice, the committee said in a statement.
“Cafeterias, clubs and restaurants should provide services to people in gardens and those that don’t have gardens should limit the number of guests inside and keep distancing between tables,” it stated.
“Cafeterias, clubs and game centers should not provide the service of hookah smoking. If any place is not committed, it will be closed for one week and its owner will be fined 5 million dinars ($3,418),” it said.
It also said markets, restaurants and business places should not allow people to enter their places without wearing masks. “Otherwise, the place will be closed for 10 days and its owner will be fined 1 million dinars.”
The KRG committee also said citizens who do not wear masks in public places would be fined 20,000 dinars ($13). Taxi, bus and truck drivers should also wear masks when there are passengers with them, or they will be fined 20,000 dinars for each passenger.
A travel ban between the Kurdistan Region and other Iraqi provinces remains in place, the committee added.
The decision exempts U.N. and international organizations, coalition forces, diplomats, official delegations, people residing in the Kurdistan Region, people who need to medical treatment in the Region’s hospitals, traders, and investors.
“Trade exchange would continue between the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi provinces, taking into consideration all the protective measures,” the committee stated.
It also ordered employees in public and private sectors to wear masks and follow the protective measures. “Otherwise, the institution will be fined 150,000 dinars ($102.5) for each case.”
The decisions went into effect on April 12 and would be published in the official gazette of the Kurdistan Region according to the statement.
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.
On Monday, the Kurdistan Region recorded 1,158 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths in 24 hours. The total number of infections rose to 133,428 while death toll reached 3,799, according to figures released by the health ministry.
