Iraq to Suspend Border Trade With Iran, Kuwait From March 8-15

(Bloomberg) -- Iraq will halt border trade with Iran and Kuwait between March 8 and 15 to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the country’s health minister Jaafar Sadiq Allawi said in a televised press conference.

Sea- and air-borne trade will continue as long as personnel and goods involved have the necessary paperwork from their originating countries to show that they are free from the disease, the minister said.

Iraq, OPEC’s second biggest producer, is also barring travelers from France and Spain from entering the country. The move brings to a total of 11 countries it has imposed such curbs on.

Schools and other educational institutions remain closed until March 21.

According to the health ministry, Iraq has a total of 38 coronavirus cases so far, including two deaths.

To contact the reporter on this story: Khalid Al-Ansary in Baghdad at kalansary@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sebastian Tong at stong41@bloomberg.net, Greg Chang

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