Kurdistan
Municipal workers disinfect a coffee shop in front of Erbil citadel on March 7, 2020. Photo: Safin Hamed/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Social media is playing a harmful role in the fight against coronavirus, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Minister of Health Dr Saman Barzenji has said as the Region takes unprecedented steps to bring the spread of the virus under control.
One elderly person has died and nine others have contracted the virus in the Kurdistan Region as authorities quarantined close to 3000 people who have returned from Iran.
“Medical professionals are doing their best […]. The doctors and nurses are on the frontlines, standing face to face with people who come here. We have 17 checkpoints with other cities in Iraq,” the top Kurdish health official told Rudaw morning program Nuroji Dostan on Sunday.
“If too many people are infected, managing it would be very difficult … it is not too late, we can still control it,” Barzenji, told Rudaw’s Sangar Abdul Rahman and Hawar Jalaladdin.
Barzenji also cautioned about rapidly spreading misinformation on social media sites.
“I beg people to stop spreading propaganda… the only source of information is the ministry of health,” stated Barzenji.
Responding to rumors across social media that he contracted coronavirus after he appeared as feverish while on television, Barzenji denied having the illness.
“No, it is false. Fortunately, my health is good. It was hot and that is why I was sweating,” he said.
China announced that it would provide 200,000 masks to the KRG. Barzenji said that other equipment has arrived to Iraq from China, and a portion will be given to the KRG by the federal government.
In the last 24 hours, 72 people have been tested for the virus, all of whom tested negative except for a woman in Erbil.
“She has cancer, unfortunately, and that is why she visited Iran, she is 49 years old. She has been transferred to a more specialist hospital, we will do our best for her to recover,” said Barzenji.
Speaking of another woman infected by the virus in Erbil, how she contracted the disease remains a mystery.
“We don’t know how she was infected because she has not visited Iran and we are still investigating,” Barzenji added.
“Eleven members of her family were tested but all came back negative .Two of the doctors that saw these patients are in quarantine.”
“Now the best thing is to isolate oneself from everyone. It is not necessary for me to be on this program, maybe I should not have come. [..] The only solution to control the virus was to quarantine everyone in their houses,” said the health official.
The High Committee to Fight Coronavirus will meet tomorrow to discuss a few proposals. Barzenji says local residents have sending in their suggestions, which range from the suspension of work in government offices to the closing of buses and parks.
“We are considering them,” said Barzenji.
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