Iraq to impose a partial curfew starting next Thursday

An Iraqi phlebotomist holds a test tube containing a blood sample of a recovered Covid-19 patient at the blood bank of Iraq's southern city of Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar province, on June 24, 2020. (AFP)

CAIRO: The Iraqi Cabinet said it will consider imposing a partial curfew starting Thursday as part of measures to confront a new strain of coronavirus.

The cabinet said it is considering to make the curfew from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m.

It also said it would shut down restaurants, shopping malls and social facilities for two weeks as part of measures to confront the new strain of COVID-19, the state-run news agency has reported. 

The cabinet also decided to close all land border crossings.