Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a meeting via video conference to review the government response to the coronavirus.
The meeting, also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and members of the ministerial committee, reviewed the state of the pandemic and public health guidelines.
Prime Minister Barzani spoke about the dangers of further spread of the virus, whereas Minister of Health, Saman Hussein Muhammad, reported on the latest numbers of infections, fatalities and patients recovered. He stated that non-compliance with public guidelines was the main reason behind the recent surge in the number of cases.
The Ministers of Interior, Transportation and Communication, and the Head of Foreign Relations Department also reported on the extent of compliance.
The committee decided that:
1. The Ministries of Health and Interior shall continue updating health and safety guidelines. Masks, gloves and restrictions on group gatherings in public places and government offices will be mandatory.
2. Travel ban between cities and provinces shall continue, with most public places remaining closed.
3. Flights shall remain suspended until July 22. Resumption of flight operations will be coordinated with the federal government and will be in line with health guidelines.
4. The Ministry of Culture and Department of Media and Information were tasked with providing information to the public in cooperation with media outlets.