Coronavirus sends Middle Eastern countries scrambling

by Jake Mott

(Photo: The Wall Street Journal)

After Iran became the center point of the coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, neighboring countries are taking all kinds of measures to slow the influx of suspected individuals, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Attempting to impede the virus while also not slowing down transport and trade is proving difficult. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, for example, all have large numbers of citizens currently in Iran for business or travel.

A complete cut off from Iran is being considered in some of the countries, but none have gone through with it yet out of fear for its economic impacts. This type of travel to Iran is in the process of being limited by these countries.

The virus has spread rapidly throughout Iran, with the first cases popping up in the large city of Qom. The virus has now been found in nearly all of Iran’s provinces said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. With a total of 92 people killed by the virus, Iran sits only behind China in that category.

Of the 34 confirmed cases in Iraq, nearly all were from citizens returning from Iran. In Pakistan, all five confirmed cases started out in Iran. Afghanistan officials at the border to Iran say that every day, over 2,000 Afghans are returning from Iran.