By Ahmed Rahma
The authorities in Iran declared on Thursday that they would close borders with Iraq in the southwestern Khuzestan province over the transmission risks of a new variant of COVID-19.
The borders, according to the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA), will be closed for a week.
Speaking, the Khuzestan Province Governor, Qassem Dashtaki, said, “From Saturday, Iran will close the borders of Shalamcheh and Chazzabeh for one week for passengers’ entrance.
During this time, the Iranian officials will try to set up facilities for rapid testing and temporary quarantine in the two border points, he said.
Iranian health authorities have warned of the rise of a new wave of coronavirus in the country and have adopted particular protective measures in the Khuzestan province.
Iran’s health ministry reported 8,066 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, raising the total nationwide infections to 1,550,142.
The pandemic has so far claimed 59,264 lives in the country, up by 80 in the past 24 hours, said the health ministry spokeswoman, Sima Lari during her daily briefing.
She further added that of the newly infected, 578 were hospitalised.
A total of 1,324,231 people have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, while 3,679 remain in critical condition.
According to the spokeswoman, 10,274,529 tests for the virus have been carried out in Iran by Thursday.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Business Post Contributor 
Dipo Olowookere