ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Free movement between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and between provinces will now face restrictions, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced Tuesday afternoon, following an outbreak of coronavirus in Kirkuk.



Educational institutions have also been ordered to close.



“Starting Wednesday, February 26, 2020, education will be suspended across schools and education centers – private and public – in the Kurdistan Region,” the KRG said in a statement.



“We are doing our best to protect the lives of the people of Kurdistan.”



KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said “the safety of the people is above everything and that we are doing our best to protect the lives of the people of Kurdistan,” the statement added.



The KRG Council of Ministers met on Tuesday to set out a raft of new measures designed to contain the virus.



“The meeting decided to restrict unnecessary travel inside the Kurdistan Region and between the Kurdistan Region and other Iraqi cities,” the statement said. “All travelers entering the Kurdistan Region’s borders must be tested.”



“The KRG assures that it will provide for all the needs of the people, and trade movements will continue in accordance with health regulations,” it added.



Four cases of the coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, were confirmed in the disputed province of Kirkuk, Iraq’s health ministry said earlier on Tuesday.



Officials said the four individuals, Iraqi nationals of the same family, had recently returned from neighbouring Iran, where at least 95 people have contracted the virus and 15 have died, according to Iranian health officials.







The first case of the virus in Iraq was confirmed on Monday when an Iranian student in the Shiite holy city of Najaf tested positive.



“The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment confirms four new cases of coronavirus in Kirkuk province in an Iraqi family who returned from a visit to Iran,” Tuesday's statement reads.



“The family has been placed under heath quarantine and medical checks have been carried out by specialized medical and health employees, and test results showed the family having contracted coronavirus,” it said.



“All measures based on international health regulations to deal with the case were undertaken, and those who have been in physical contact should kindly cooperate with the implementation of measures,” it added.



Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have already closed all land border crossings with Iran and canceled commercial flights serving Iranian airports in a bid to contain the virus.







Iraqis currently in Iran must undergo a 14-day monitoring period after crossing the border before they are allowed to return home, and are also being checked at their homes by medical teams, according to an order issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Health and the Environment.



Furthermore, Iraqis are not permitted to visit Iran unless they are part of a diplomatic delegation, and the federal government has suspended all Iraqi Airlines flights serving Najaf and Baghdad routes to Iran until further notice.



Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, Kirkuk governor Rakan Saeed al-Jabouri said many public institutions will be closed or run reduced services for the foreseeable future.



“A public holiday will take effect from tomorrow (Wednesday) across educational institutions such as primary schools, high schools, universities, and other institutes until further notice,” Jabouri said.



“In addition to education institutes, work across government institutions will also stop, excluding [emergency] service departments, which will reduce work by 50 percent.”



“Medical teams will be deployed to all checkpoints. We hope everyone understands we are taking such strict measures to protect your safety. Everyone should commit to our regulations,” he added.



Kirkuk’s measures follow similar moves in Najaf, where educational institutions have been closed and controls imposed on all non-essential travel in and out of the province.



The Iraqi health ministry said universities and schools will take “10 days break in Najaf province, and gatherings throughout the province are banned”.



Public movements in and out of the province “except for extremely necessary cases” have been halted. All “unnecessary” forums, celebrations, and gatherings are to be cancelled, it added.



“Upon the direction of the Minister of Education Suha Khaleel al-Ali, it has been decided to give all schools in the province a break for the safety and health of educational cadres, students, and pupils,” the Najaf Education Directorate General said in a statement.



The coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan on December 31 and has killed at least 2,700 people and infecting more than 80,000 worldwide.



This is a developing story…



Last updated 4:04 PM