UAE suspends all flights over coronavirus outbreak

ANKARA

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to suspend all flights to and from the Gulf state as part of efforts to stem the spread of coronavirus, according to the official WAM news agency.

In a statement, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said all inbound and outbound flights and the transit of airline passengers will be suspended as of March 25 for two weeks.

It said the flight suspension was a precautionary measure to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Cargo and emergency evacuation flights would be exempt from the restriction, the GCAA said.

The Gulf state reported 13 more coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the total infections to 153.

Two people had already died from the disease, according to the UAE authorities.

The virus first emerged in Wuhan, China last December and has spread to at more than 180 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

There are over 339,640 confirmed cases worldwide, with the death toll surpassing 14,710, while more than 98,830 have recovered