Armenia says will close border with Iran over virus

By : AFP

Date: 23 February 2020 8:56pm WAT

A medical worker wearing protective gear takes a rest as he waits for ambulances carrying patients infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus at an entrance of a hospital in Daegu on February 23, 2020. - South Korea raised its alert on the coronavirus to the highest level on February 23 after reporting three more deaths and 169 new infections. The country has seen a rapid surge in the number of coronavirus cases since a cluster of infections emerged from a religious sect in the southern city of Daegu. (Photo by - / YONHAP / AFP) / - South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT NO ARCHIVES RESTRICTED TO SUBSCRIPTION USE

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Armenia will close its border with Iran and suspend flights, Prime Minister Nikol Pachinian announced Sunday, as fears over a deadly outbreak of the new coronavirus in Iran sent neighbouring countries scrambling to contain the outbreak.

“Iran-Armenia air links and the entry of people into Armenia via the Meghri checkpoint”, the only border crossing between the nations, “will be suspended”, he said in a post on Twitter, adding that the measure was set to last two weeks.

A special committee tasked with preventing the spread of the virus in Armenia will meet on Monday to discuss other possible steps in view of the situation in Iran, Pachinian said.