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WORLD NEWS Thursday 19 March 2020

Virus death toll spikes in Iran, with total now at 1,135

By NASSER KARIMI and AYA "I am financially ruined. How
BATRAWY can I earn my living now?"
Associated Press said Mohammed Gamal,
TEHRAN (AP) — Iran on a worker in a coffee shop
Wednesday reported its that was shut down.
single biggest jump in fatali- In Israel, which reported
ties from the coronavirus as 427 infections, authorities
another 147 people died, put the country in near-
raising the country's overall shutdown mode, order-
death toll to 1,135. ing tens of thousands into
The nearly 15% spike in home quarantine, turning
deaths — amid a total of unused hotels into hospi-
17,361 confirmed cases tals and setting up drive-
in Iran — marks the big- through testing centers.
gest 24-hour rise in fatalities Most controversially, the
since Iranian officials first government instructed the
acknowledged infections shadowy Shin Bet internal
of the virus in mid-February. security service to deploy
Even as the number of phone surveillance tech-
cases grows, food markets nology to track movements
were still packed with shop- of those infected.
pers and highways were Israel's Population and Im-
crowded as families trav- migration Authority said it
eled ahead of the Persian was barring entry to all for-
New Year, Nowruz, on Fri- In this photo released by the official website of the Office of the Iranian Presidency, cabinet mem- eign nationals. It was also
bers wearing face masks and gloves attend their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 18,
day. 2020. closing its land borders to
Deputy Health Minister Ali- Associated Press exits by Israeli nationals.
reza Raisi urged the public Palestinian Prime Minister
to avoid travel and crowds, ed Shiite shrines to halt the can cause more severe ill- talk to the press, declined Mohammad Shtayyeh an-
telling Iranians the days spread of the virus. The ness, including pneumonia. to say how many people nounced a halt to all move-
ahead represented two government was only able The vast majority recover. were in the hotel but add- ment out of Bethlehem
"golden weeks" to try curb to close them this week. World Health Organiza- ed the Health Ministry gave and two neighboring towns
the virus. "It was difficult, of course, tion director for the East- foreign guests the option with coronavirus cases
He criticized people for not to shut down mosques and ern Mediterranean region, of leaving to return to their and urged Bethlehem resi-
adhering to the warnings holy sites, but we did it. It Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said home countries before a dents to stay home starting
to stay home. "This is not a was a religious duty to do the many travel restrictions suspension of all flights goes Wednesday night. Palestin-
good situation at all," he it," Rouhani said. imposed by various coun- into effect Thursday. ians also were instructed
said. Iran also said it would close tries are hurting efforts to Egypt, which has reported not to work in Israeli settle-
President Hassan Rouhani mosques for communal combat the virus by delay- nearly 200 cases and six ments or enter Israel start-
defended his government's Friday prayers for a third ing both the deployment of deaths from the virus, has ing Sunday.
response to the outbreak consecutive week. Other health experts and the de- also quarantined more In Iraq, a week-long cur-
in the face of widespread Muslim countries, including livery of urgently needed than 300 families in a Nile few began in Baghdad, al-
criticism that Iran acted Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and medical supplies. Delta village, and imposed lowing pedestrians on the
too slowly and might even the United Arab Emirates Millions across the Middle a lockdown in the Red Sea streets only to buy neces-
have covered up initial have done so as well. East were under curfews, resort town of Hurghada. All sary food and medicine.
cases. He told his Cabinet The virus, which causes the quarantines or almost total workers at hotels and tour- Armed police patrolled the
the government was being COVID-19 illness, has in- lockdowns. ist sites in Sharm el-Sheikh, city and set up roadblocks.
"straightforward," saying it fected more than 200,000 In Egypt, the Hilton Green Luxor and Aswan were or- Some Iraqis flouted the cur-
announced the outbreak people globally and killed Plaza hotel in the Mediter- dered to self quarantine for few by reopening shops
as soon as it learned about more than 8,000. For most ranean city of Alexandria 14 days. and taking family strolls.
it Feb. 19. people, it causes only mild was quarantined after a In the capital of Cairo, cof- Some grocery stands and
"We spoke to people in an or moderate symptoms, British guest showed symp- fee shops and restaurants bakeries stayed open, but
honest way. We had no de- such as fever and cough. toms. A hotel employee, were closed in the city of many appeared to be
lay," he added. For some, especially older who spoke on condition over 20 million, with plain- obeying the curfew. Iraq
For weeks, officials implored adults and people with of anonymity because clothes security forces tell- has had 11 deaths among
clerics to shut down crowd- existing health problems, it she was not authorized to ing people to go home. 154 confirmed cases.q