Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Health Minister Saad Jaber Tuesday announced a series of government measures to curb the novel coronavirus outbreak, including travel bans, closure of crossings with neighbouring countries and halting local conferences.

He said a joint press conference with State Minister for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh that the restrictions include travel bans to Lebanon and Syria, closure of the Northern Crossing and the King Hussein Bridge with the West Bank, closure of sea crossings with Egypt and a halt to land travel with Iraq and designating Irbil and Baghdad airports only for travel.

The measures also include a ban on travelers from France, Germany and Spain from entering the Kingdom, Jaber said.

The Minister also said that international and local conferences in the Kingdom will be halted unless allowed by the Council of Ministers, but schools and universities will not be closed at this stage and that a decision will be taken on national league football matches without spectators.

He also announced that a cruise ship coming from Italy with 700 people on board was barred entry to the Port of Aqaba because the quarantine period was not enough for safety from the epidemic.

Adaileh also told reporters that several local hospitals were only authorized to take test samples, including the King Abdullah I Hospital in Irbid, Jordan University Hospital and Epidemics Hospital in Amman, Karak Government Hospital and Prince Hashem Military Hospital in Aqaba.

The State Minister for Media Affairs said that a meeting will be held tomorrow with the ministries of education and communications to discuss remote classes.

He also said a response plan for the refugee camps will also be in place.