COVID-19: UAE halts all flights from Iran over coronavirus outbreak

The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority has announced the suspension of all flights arriving to and departing from Iran, effective immediately.

According to the GCAA, all passenger and cargo aircraft traveling to and from Iran will be suspended for a period of one week, and could be up for extension.
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The decision is a precautionary measure undertaken by the UAE to ensure strict monitoring and prevention of the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, the Authority concluded.

The announcement came after Bahrain said it would suspend all flights from Dubai and Sharjah for 48 hours.

Bahrain's Health Ministry on Tuesday raised the number of infected cases from the new virus to eight. Four of them have been identified as Saudi nationals. The cases were confirmed upon arrival to Bahrain during screenings at the airport, according to Bahrain's official news agency.

Dubai has been screening passengers on incoming flights from China, where the outbreak began in December.

The novel coronavirus has infected more than 80,000 people globally, causing around 2,700 deaths, mainly in China. The World Health Organization has named the illness COVID-19, referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus that causes it.