A state-owned newspaper in Iran says Masoumeh Ebtekar, a vice president in the Islamic Republic and a spokeswoman for the 1979 hostage-takers, has the new coronavirus.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Ebtekar was known during the hostage crisis as “Mary.”THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s previous story follows below.
It appeared Saudi officials worried about the risk of pilgrims spreading the virus as they had in Iran. The virus’ epicenter in the Islamic Republic is the holy Shiite city of Qom, where the faithful in reverence reach out to kiss and touch a famous shrine. That shrine and others have remained open, despite Iran’s civilian government calling for them to be closed.
More recently, Saudi Arabia faced the danger from another coronavirus, one that causes the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, which jumped from ill camels to humans. The kingdom increased its public health measures during the hajj in 2012 and 2013 and urged the ill and the elderly not to take part in the pilgrimage.
Those pilgrims spend upward of 10 days at holy sites, mingling in tight quarters. Of those coming, many are older, have pre-existing chronic diseases and come from countries “with suboptimal disease surveillance,” according to a letter Thursday to The Lancet medical journal. “This is a very tough decision,” he told The Associated Press. “But with the rapid spread of COVID-19 and a lack of good diagnostics, preventative vaccines and therapeutics, this is the best decision that could be taken at such difficult times.”
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Iran says official who played down virus fears is infectedOnly a day earlier, a coughing and heavily sweating Iraj Harirchi, the country's deputy health minister, said at a televised news conference in Tehran that 'the situation is almost stable in the country.'
Les mer »
Iran official running an anti-coronavirus task force has virusA spokesman for Iran’s Health Ministry says the head of the country’s counter-coronavirus task force has tested positive for the virus.
Les mer »
Saudi Arabia halts pilgrimages over virus, Iran says 26 deadThe extraordinary decision by Saudi Arabia stops foreigners from reaching the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure the world's 1.8 billion Muslims pray toward five times a day.
Les mer »
Saudi Arabia halts pilgrimages over virus; Iran says 22 deadSaudi Arabia has halted travel to Islam's holiest sites over fears about a new viral epidemic months ahead of the hajj pilgrimage
Les mer »
An increasingly isolated Iran girds for long virus battleIran is girding for a long battle against the coronavirus that is spreading rapidly across the country and the wider Middle East.
Les mer »
First Iraqis catch coronavirus amid fear of Iran epidemic spilloverIraq shut schools and universities on Tuesday and told citizens to avoid mass ga...
Les mer »