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Bahrain has blocked all flights arriving from Dubai International Airport without prior warning for the next 48 hours in a bid to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

On 25 February, Bahrain’s Ministry of Health confirmed a total of eight cases, including six new cases. These comprise two Bahraini and four Saudi citizens who arrived from Iran via Dubai.

The flight ban is also applicable for incoming flights from Sharjah International Airport.

Iran is the most affected country in the Middle East with 95 confirmed coronavirus cases and 16 deaths. It was the first Middle East country to report deaths.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan imposed travel and immigration restrictions on Iran.

The UAE has also imposed a ban on all flights arriving from and departing to Iran for at least a week.

UAE was the first Arab country to report the cases with 13 confirmed cases and no deaths.

Apart from the UAE, Iran and Bahrain, the coronavirus has spread to most of the countries in the Middle East, namely Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel and Turkey.

The epidemic has so far killed approximately 2,700 people and infected more than 80,000 around the world.

Many airlines, including British Airways and United Airlines, have also cancelled their flights to China.