Iraq: COVID-19 curfew extended nationwide until August 15 /update 47

Event

Iraqi authorities have extended an existing curfew until at least Saturday, August 15, to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The curfew will remain in place between 19:00 and 06:00 (local time) Sunday through Wednesday, while a full 24-hour curfew will be imposed on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Government agencies will also only be allowed to operate at 25 percent of staff capacity. The curfew will be in effect throughout the country, with the exception of the Kurdistan region.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on August 4, that Iraq's border crossing with Turkey will be closed until Tuesday, August 11. Only commercial vehicles, or those issued with a special permit from the KRG Ministry of Interior, will be allowed through the Habur-Ibrahim Khalil border during this period.

Additionally, authorities in the KRG imposed tighter travel restrictions between the region and the rest of Iraq until August 11, with no travel permitted between the two without an electronic permit.

As of Sunday, August 9, health authorities have confirmed 147,389 COVID-19 cases, with 5310 associated deaths in the country. Further spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.