Iraq closes another Iran crossing over coronavirus

BAGHDAD

Iraq on Wednesday closed Zurbatiyah border crossing with Iran for 15 days as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus, according to an Iraqi governor.

In an official decree, Mohamed Jamil al-Mayahi, the governor of the eastern Wasit province, said the terminal was shut "due to the emergence and registration of suspected [coronavirus] cases and infections in the province".

Iraq reported the first death from coronavirus on Wednesday with at least 32 confirmed cases.

Iraqi authorities have recently closed a number of border crossings with Iran over the virus.

Last week, Baghdad shut schools and universities for a 10-day period and banned travel to virus-hit states as part of its fight against the disease.

The global death toll from coronavirus has crossed 3,000, with more than 88,000 infected.

The World Health Organization, which already declared the outbreak an international health emergency, updated the global risk level to very high.