Jordan to Isolates Areas Where COVID-19 Cases Rise

Jordanian army members stand guard at a checkpoint after the start of a nationwide curfew, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, in Amman, Jordan March 21, 2020. (Reuters)
Jordanian army members stand guard at a checkpoint after the start of a nationwide curfew, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, in Amman, Jordan March 21, 2020. (Reuters)
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Jordan to Isolates Areas Where COVID-19 Cases Rise

Jordanian army members stand guard at a checkpoint after the start of a nationwide curfew, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, in Amman, Jordan March 21, 2020. (Reuters)
Jordanian army members stand guard at a checkpoint after the start of a nationwide curfew, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, in Amman, Jordan March 21, 2020. (Reuters)

Jordan's Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad al-Adaileh said Saturday that the government will isolate any province, city, or governate where COVID-19 cases spike, noting that a total curfew will be avoided given its economic, social and psychological impact on citizens.

The Ministry of Health also revealed that a total of 75 local cases have been recorded since Friday, raising the caseload since the outbreak of the pandemic to 1,339, in addition to 11 deaths.

In a press conference following a meeting for the Coronavirus Crisis Cell chaired by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, Adaileh said that there won’t be a total curfew or lockdown at any phase – these measures will be taken on the level of cities, provinces, and regions or even buildings.

Corona Crisis Cell Operations Director Brigadier General Mazen El-Faraya announced the isolation of Ramtha from the rest of the Kingdom’s regions, starting next Monday, August 17.

During a press conference, Faraya called on the people of Ramtha to adhere to public safety measures.

“This precautionary measure comes to protect the people of the district, and to prevent the spread of the epidemic in the rest of the districts of Irbid governorate and the Kingdom, to maintain the general epidemiological situation at good levels at the national level.”

The spike of local cases sparked debate in Jordan, which started enforcing the Defense Order No. 11 by enforcing the measure of wearing masks and sanctioning individuals and institutions that violate measures of physical distancing and gatherings.



Lebanon Hopes for Neighborly Relations in First Message to New Syria Government

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
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Lebanon Hopes for Neighborly Relations in First Message to New Syria Government

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)

Lebanon said on Thursday it was looking forward to having the best neighborly relations with Syria, in its first official message to the new administration in Damascus.

Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib passed the message to his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, in a phone call, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said on X.

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah played a major part propping up Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad through years of war, before bringing its fighters back to Lebanon over the last year to fight in a bruising war with Israel - a redeployment which weakened Syrian government lines.

Under Assad, Hezbollah used Syria to bring in weapons and other military equipment from Iran, through Iraq and Syria and into Lebanon. But on Dec. 6, anti-Assad fighters seized the border with Iraq and cut off that route, and two days later, opposition factions captured the capital Damascus.

Syria's new de-facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to establish relations with Arab and Western leaders after toppling Assad.