COVID-19: Bahrain bans trips to Iran, Iraq due to surge in virus infections

Cairo: Bahrain is keeping a ban on travel to Iran and Iraq due to a spike in coronavirus there, an aviation official has said.

“Restrictions on travel destinations are approved by the bodies concerned in the kingdom of Bahrain in line with health precautions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mohammed Al Kabi, a civil aviation official at the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, told Bahraini newspaper Al Watan.

His remarks came after a number of passengers were not allowed to fly to Iraq to commemorate the annual anniversary marking the 40th death day of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson Al Hussain in Karbala.

The passengers were notified of a temporary ban on travel to Iraq due to a surge in virus infections. Organisers of the blocked trips promised to give money back to the passengers. Other tour operators have said they halted their activities to protect public health due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Bahrain has also suspended travel to Iran until further notice as a health measure against the spread of the highly infectious disease.