Iraq and Lebanon extend lockdown
BEIRUT: Iraq and Lebanon extended on Thursday government-imposed restrictions on movement for two more weeks, the latest measures announced to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.
Lebanon is extending a lockdown by two weeks until April 12 to combat the spread of the coronavirus, its information minister said on Thursday, while introducing strict new steps that seemed to amount to an overnight curfew in all but name.
Under the lockdown, declared under a state of medical emergency on March 15, people can only leave their homes to buy food and medicine and all non-essential businesses have been closed, along with Beirut airport.
Lebanon, a country of nearly 5 million, has recorded six deaths of the virus while 35 new infected cases were recorded on Thursday, raising the total to 386 cases. Tightening its measures, the government also extended the shutdown to all public institutions, including municipalities, and ordered exempt stores, such as bakeries, pharmacies, producers of medical supplies, mills and supermarkets, to close between 7pm and 5am every day.
“We are still in a very dangerous stage for the spread of the corona epidemic and therefore it is necessary to extend the deadline,” Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said, citing remarks from Prime Minister Hassan Diab after a cabinet meeting.
Diab’s office said in a statement outlining the steps that Lebanese would be banned from going out during these hours, and the restrictions would be enforced by the military and security forces.
Iraq’s Health Ministry reported a jump of coronavirus-related deaths by seven in 24 hours, according to a statement on Thursday, the highest since the government began recording cases. At least 36 people among 382 confirmed infected cases have died.
Iraqis have struggled to adhere to the dayslong curfew in place since March 17, prompting senior Iraqi officials and prominent religious figures to call for the public to stay at home and avoid congregating in crowds.
Iraq’s Cabinet said it was extending the curfew until April 11, the second extension since the curfew was first imposed.
Health officials said they expect numbers to rise as more are tested in the coming weeks. An Iraqi army statement said it would send units to enforce a weeks-long curfew and even cordon off areas where cases are mounting.