Lebanon on Sunday urged people to stay at home for two weeks in a bid to stem a novel coronavirus outbreak that has infected at least 99 people and killed three.
People should not leave home except in circumstances of “extreme necessity” and the international airport will close from Wednesday to March 29, Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said.
Cyprus
In the the Republic of Cyprus, the government said Sunday it would further tighten entry restrictions and close a string of businesses including the vital tourism sector’s hotels to rein in the novel coronavirus.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said that from Monday entry to the country “will only be granted to those who… submit a medical certificate” showing they had been tested for the virus.
“Those who fulfil these conditions will be placed under a 14-day compulsory quarantine,” he said.
He had already on Friday announced a 15-day ban on entry to non-residents, with only Cypriots, legal residents, diplomats, registered students and specific authorised people allowed in.
On Sunday, the health ministry announced the closure of shopping centres, bars and cafes, most restaurants and a string of other facilities for four weeks, starting Monday.
Iran
In Iran, the government urged its citizens to stick to guidelines and stay at home to stop the new coronavirus spreading, as it announced another 113 deaths from the outbreak.
The latest death toll announced by the health ministry took to 724 the official number of people to have been killed by the disease since last month.
People “should cancel all travel and stay at home so that we may see the situation improving in the coming days,” ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.