Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Nine new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Jordan on Monday brining the caseload to a total of 268 with five deaths, Ministry of Health Sa'ed Jabir announced this evening.

Speaking a daily press briefing, the minister said 8 cases; 4 French nationals, one from Argentine, an Iraqi woman and two Jordanians, have recovered and were discharged from hospitals today.

Jabir added that around 2,000 people, who were discharged from quarantine in hotels in Amman and the Dead Sea region earlier today after a two-week period, were given instructions to start another two-week self-quarantine to ensure they are free from the disease.

The minister appealed to the public to continue to abide by health, hygiene and precautionary rules as well as social distancing, saying :"Every minute you stay at home brings us miles closer to victory over this disease".

State Minister for Media Affairs, Amjad Adaileh, said that His Majesty the King is closely following on the situation and checking firsthand on measures taken by the government to ensure adequate supply of foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals.

Adaileh added that the government has announced a new mechanism for the issuance of mobility permits during the current nationwide curfew, noting that humanitarian and urgent cases will be granted temporary mobility permits according to clear criteria.

The minister, who is also government spokesman, said banks and exchange firms were allowed today to offer essential services and there have been observations about some groups, especially the elderly and the disabled, being unable to reach banks.

The minister said a solution will be offered soon to work out this issue and also allow people in areas not served by banks to receive the services they need. Adaileh said banks were ordered not to provide personal and corporate finance services at the current stage and limit their offering to priority services only.