Amman to close all its borders: Jordan army

Jordanian army members stand guard outside a hotel that was transformed into a quarantine station as the country takes measures to fight the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Amman, Jordan, March 18, 2020. (Reuters)

• Borders will be closed from 7 a.m. on Thursday

LONDON: Amman's borders will be closed starting from 7 a.m. on Thursday until further notice due to coronavirus, the Jordanian army said on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by the Jordanian News Agency, the army said exemptions would be for those “authorized by the concerned authorities and known to the armed forces and security services, and according to the nature of the work.” 
Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday approved a law that gives the government sweeping powers to enforce a state of emergency to help it combat the spread of the virus, state media said.
The royal decree gives Prime Minister Omar Razzaz extraordinary powers under a defense law enacted in times of war and disasters to enforce curfews, closing businesses and placing restrictions on freedom of movement of people.
The country’s central bank also announced measures to help troubled businesses and its tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the impact of the crisis. The kingdom has also imposed other measures to fight the outbreak, including a tighter lockdown that closes all borders and bans all incoming and outgoing flights, which has been in place since Tuesday.
Jordanian officials say the unprecedented measures, which also include closing schools and banning daily prayers in mosques, were taken as the epidemic is spreading fast in neighboring Egypt, Syria and Iraq.
The government has kept borders open for commercial cargo and has assured people hoarding food that the country has a stockpile of commodities and essential goods that would last six months.