Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq report virus cases
KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq on Monday recorded their first new coronavirus cases, all people who had been in Iran, which raised its toll from the disease to 12 dead and 61 infected.
Iraq announced its first case, an Iranian theology student in the holy city of Najaf, who had entered the country before the government banned the entry of non-iraqis coming from Iran.
Kuwait detected the virus in three people among 700 who had been evacuated on Saturday from the Iranian city of Mashhad.
They were a 53-year-old Kuwaiti man and a 21-year-old whose nationality was unclear, the health ministry said.
In neighbouring Bahrain, the health ministry said a Bahraini citizen who arrived from Iran had been diagnosed with the disease.
Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases in Iran, Italy and South Korea. The virus has infected nearly 77,000 people and killed more than 2,500 in China.
Kuwait Airways and Iraq Airways last week suspended flights to Iran while Saudi Arabia suspended travel to Iran.
Iraq has shut its Safwan border crossing with Kuwait to travellers and trade at Kuwait’s request.
Iran’s Deputy Health Minister, Iraj Harirchi, said 12 people had died and up to 61 had been infected in Iran. Most infections were in the holy city of Qom.
DUBAI, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Kuwait and Bahrain on Monday recorded their first new coronavirus cases, all involving people who had visited Iran, which has reported 43 cases of the disease, state media said.
Kuwait detected the virus in three people among 700 who had been evacuated on Saturday from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, state news agency KUNA said.
In neighbouring Bahrain, the health ministry said a Bahraini citizen who arrived from Iran had been diagnosed with the disease and that “all necessary measures have been taken with individuals in contact with the patient.”
Fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea.
US stocks fell sharply, following a sell-off in overseas markets, as a surge in virus cases and a worrisome spread of the disease outside China sent investors running for safety.