Jordan announces six new cases of coronavirus

Jordan confirmed six new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, including four French tourists and two Jordanians, the minister of health said.

The kingdom had previously reported only one case of the virus. It imposed measures on Saturday to fight the outbreak, including a tighter lockdown that closes all borders and bans all incoming and outgoing flights as of 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 who were hoarding food that the country has a stockpile of commodities and essential goods that would last six months.