Jordan to close Syria border over coronavirus cases at crossing

Jordan to close Syria border over coronavirus cases at crossing
The border crossing between Syria and Jordan will be closed for a week, Amman said on Wednesday.
1 min read
Jordan has recorded 1,303 coronavirus infections [Getty]
Jordan will close its border with Syria for a week starting Thursday, after staff at their only open land crossing tested positive for the novel coronavirus, state media said.

Jordan has seen a drop in virus cases, with new infections recorded mainly among travellers arriving from abroad, but it registered 25 cases of the Covid-19 illness in the past two days, mostly at the Jaber crossing with its war-torn northern neighbour.

Interior Minister Salamah Hammad al-Sahaim decided on Wednesday "to close the Jaber border post for a week starting from Thursday morning," the official Petra news agency reported.

He ordered a "review of all procedures" at the country's other land borders to prevent them being the source of new outbreaks.

Read also: Returning migrants 'will bring coronavirus with them', says Kuwaiti MP

Jordan has registered a total of 1,303 coronavirus infections, including 11 deaths. 

Syria has confirmed over 1,000 cases in government-held areas, but the health ministry has admitted it lacks the "capacity... to carry out widespread testing in the provinces".

Agencies contributed to this report.

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