After the outbreak in China.. Iraq resolves imposing restrictions to fight Coronavirus

INA-  Baghdad 

Ministry of Health announced Sunday that meetings will be held this week to discuss the resurgence of the Corona outbreak in China and its repercussions, and while it ruled out imposing new restrictions to confront the pandemic in Iraq, it confirmed that half of the registered influenza cases are infections with Omicron.

The Director of Public Health Department Riyad Abd al-Amir al-Halfi, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "epidemiologists in the Public Health Department are monitoring the situation in China," pointing out that "the increase in cases in China is the result of Omicron, and its extreme speed of transmission."

 Al-Halfi added, "The infection with Omicron is lighter than the infection with Delta, but it is faster in transmission," noting that "some Western countries have imposed restrictions on those coming from China to their countries, such as a negative test for Corona."


He pointed out that "the countries of the region in the Middle East have not yet issued any instructions, and the situation is currently being monitored in them, and meetings will be held this week, and some restrictions may be imposed, such as showing the vaccine card, and this may not be done, depending on the information that will be included in the meetings and what will result from them."

 He explained that "Omicron has become endemic in Iraq, and there is no concern about the mutated entry again, being the same mutant, but the new strain transmits faster than the previous strains," noting that "almost half of the influenza cases are Omicron, and the remaining 2 are influenza (A), and 2 are influenza (B)".

 Al-Halfi ruled out, "Issuing directives currently restricting the movement of citizens and gatherings, especially as Iraq is on the verge of hosting the Gulf Cup 25 in Basra, which will witness large gatherings and Iraqis from various provinces will go to them," noting that "the closest is to return to the first recommendations after the outbreak of Corona, which is to wear face masks in crowded places, not only to prevent corona, but also to avoid infection with the common flu, in addition to vaccination with the Corona vaccine.

 He concluded by saying, "If a citizen is vaccinated and wears a mask, he will achieve 90% protection from infection with the coronavirus, even if he is in crowded places."