Cargo ships sail in the Gulf off the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, which is the main base of the Islamic republic's navy and has a strategic position on the Strait of Hormuz, on April 29, 2019. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

SEOUL / DUBAI / CAIRO / SYDNEY / PHNOM PENH / KUALA LUMPUR / NEW DELHI / WELLINGTON / MANILA / YANGON / BEIRUT - 

Iran will reintroduce lockdown measures on one of its busiest port cities on the Persian Gulf following a surge in coronavirus cases.

Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormuzgan province and a major trade hub on the Strait of Hormuz, is one of seven cities that will be shut down for one week from Friday, Fereydoun Hemmati, the provincial governor, told reporters

Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormuzgan province and a major trade hub on the Strait of Hormuz, is one of seven cities that will be shut down for one week from Friday, Fereydoun Hemmati, the provincial governor, told reporters, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported. Restrictions will also be reimposed on the islands of Kish and Qeshm, which are major tourist attractions, Hemmati said.

The lockdowns will involve the closure of all schools, universities, most offices, cinemas, restaurants, public pools, gyms and parks. Hemmati didn’t give any figures for coronavirus cases or fatalities in Hormuzgan province.

Iran, the epicenter of the coronavirus in the Middle East, has seen cases soar since it eased restrictions on businesses and public life in April in an effort to keep its sanctions-hit economy afloat. So far, some 230,211 people have been infected with the virus and 10,958 have died, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said Wednesday on state TV.

Other lockdowns may be in the works.

Officials in the capital, Tehran, are discussing whether to bring back restrictions after a significant rise in hospital admissions, Lari said. Eight other provinces are authorized to reintroduce lockdowns and seven more are on “high alert” and prepared to renew restrictions if ordered to do so, she added.

Officials have blamed the increase on people flouting social distancing rules and government guidelines, especially at weddings and funerals.

On Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said wearing face masks in enclosed public spaces will be made mandatory across the country from July 5.

ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia on Tuesday vowed to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and relevant agencies to enhance collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Cambodian foreign ministry's press statement.

The statement was released after the special ASEAN-Australia foreign ministers' meeting on COVID-19 via video conference.

"The meeting agreed to work with relevant international organisations, especially the World Health Organization (WHO), and the global community to enhance collective pandemic preparedness and response and to prevent its long-term impacts," it said. 

Australia

Authorities will lock down more than 300,000 people in suburbs north of Melbourne for a month from late on Wednesday to contain the risk of infection after two weeks of double-digit rises in new coronavirus cases in Australia's second most populous state. 

Australia has fared better than many countries in the pandemic, with around 7,920 cases, 104 deaths and fewer than 400 active cases, but the recent jump has stoked fears of a second wave of COVID-19, echoing concerns expressed in other countries. 

From midnight, more than 30 suburbs in Australia's second-biggest city will return to stage three restrictions, the third-strictest level in curbs to control the pandemic. That means residents will be confined to home except for grocery shopping, health appointments, work or caregiving, and exercise.

A man has a swab sample taken during testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus at a drive through pop-up venue in Melbourne on July 1, 2020. Around 300,000 people in Melbourne were preparing to return to lockdown under the threat of fines and arrest July 1 as Australia’s second biggest city attempts to control a spike in virus cases. (PHOTO / AFP)

In the mean time, New South Wales, Australia’s most-populous state, said residents of 10 virus hotspots in neighboring Victoria would face six months in jail or a fine of A$11,000 if they attempt to cross the border.

The 10 areas of Melbourne go into lockdown shortly before midnight as authorities attempt to crush a spike in coronavirus infections.

READ MORE: Japan will not yet invoke emergency despite spike in cases

Bangladesh

To quell the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bangladeshi government has extended its restriction measures on public activities and movements in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country until Aug. 3.

Bangladeshi Cabinet Division issued a notification Tuesday night detailing the restriction measures which will continue from July 1 to Aug 3.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has reopened schools, but has kept a ban on public gatherings and made it mandatory for people to wear masks in public places as part of its response to the coronavirus threat, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Wednesday.

While the DPRK has not confirmed any infections, its Ministry of Public Health has been sharing weekly updates with the WHO on steps it is taking to ward off the pandemic, said Edwin Salvador, the agency’s representative to the country.

In the latest update provided on June 19, the ministry said all educational institutions are now open, with children required to wear masks and washing stations installed.

The ministry also reported that all of 922 people checked so far have tested negative, while hundreds of others, mostly cargo handlers at seaports and land borders, are regularly quarantined for monitoring, Salvador said.

“Temperature checks using infra-red thermometers, hand washing facilities and sanitizers continue to be in place in all public places including shopping malls, restaurants and hotels,” he said via email.

“It is mandatory for all people to wear masks in public places and no public gatherings are allowed.”

Pyongyang devised a “national preparedness and response plan” in February based on the WHO’s recommendations, under which it appointed community doctors, each of whom is responsible for 130 households, Salvador said.

It also set up 235 “Rapid Response Teams” consisting of an epidemiologist, doctor, nurse, paramedical and a livestock official, tasked with investigating any suspected cases.

The WHO has provided enough supplies to conduct 1,000 tests, as well as 2,900 personal protective equipment alongside laboratory reagents, Salvador said, adding that healthcare workers were being trained how to deal with the COVID-19 threat.

The Republic of Korea’s Unification Ministry, handling inter-Korean affairs, said plans to send US$10 million of aid for the DPRK via the UN World Food Programme were put on hold after cross-border tensions flared.

India

India's health ministry Wednesday said 507 new deaths due to COVID-19, besides fresh 18,653 positive cases, were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 17,400 and total cases to 585,493.

"As on 8:00 am (local time) Wednesday, 17,400 deaths related to novel coronavirus have been recorded in the country," reads the information released by the ministry.

The health ministry also said that the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in India increased to 59.43 percent on Wednesday.

"Till now, 347,979 patients have been cured and 220,114 patients are under active medical supervision," the ministry said. "The recovery rate is now 59.43 percent."

This file photo taken on April 8, 2020 shows one vial of the drug remdesivir during a press conference about the start of a study in particularly severely ill patients at the University Hospital Eppendorf (UKE) in Hamburg, northern Germany, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. (ULRICH PERREY / POOL / AFP)

Indonesia

After imposing restrictions on business and tourism for weeks to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, the Indonesian government has gradually restarted activities in these sectors.

Tight health protocols have been put in place following resumption of the activities to curb transmission of the pneumonia-causing disease which still remains afloat.

The Health Ministry reported a record daily jump of 1,385 infections on Wednesday, bringing the total to 57,770 with 2,934 casualties.

Indonesia President Joko Widodo said measures have been taken as the government aims to strike a balance between picking up the economy and containing the spread of COVID-19.

"In the management of this crisis, all kinds of efforts have to be made at the same time. It is not appropriate if we only fully concentrate on the health sector while the economy is abandoned," said the president.

To accommodate such policies, ensure the safety of residents while resuming daily activities, a new normal scenario has been implemented.

Shopping malls have reopened under tight health protocols. The number of visitors has been limited, and handwashing facilities have also been provided.

Bank liquidity has been ramped up with a US$2.13 billion government fund having been earmarked for four state banks to generate loans with low interest rates, benefiting the real economy, said Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

The government has provided a huge amount of stimulus packages to offset impact of the pandemic on the economy, swelling the deficit of the country's development budget more than double the 3-percent threshold of the GDP to 6.34 percent.

Iraq

Iraqi Health Ministry also confirmed 104 more deaths from the infectious virus, raising the death toll to 1,943, while 1,786 more patients recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 24,760.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Higher Committee for Health and National Safety called on senior students in all medicine colleges across Iraq to volunteer to help the medical workers in fighting the pandemic.e past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,131, the minister tweeted. The total number of recoveries rose to 173,111 after 1,302 new recoveries were added.

ALSO READ: Modi warns of virus 'negligence' as some cities extend lockdowns

Israel

Israel on Tuesday registered 803 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day surge so far, raising the tally to 25,244, the state's Ministry of Health said.

The death toll from the virus rose from 319 to 320, while the number of patients in serious condition increased to 52 from 43, out of 232 patients currently hospitalized, the ministry said.

The number of recoveries rose to 17,341, with 123 new recoveries, while the number of active cases rose to 7,583, the highest since April 28.

Japan

Japan's Tokyo metropolitan government on Wednesday confirmed 67 new COVID-19 infections, marking the highest number of daily cases since the state of emergency was lifted on May 25.

The latest figure follows the daily tally reaching 54 a day earlier with the number of new infection cases surpassing 50 for a sixth successive day, with Tokyo's cumulative total climbing to 6,292 COVID-19 infections.

The Japanese government is considering starting talks with China and South Korea as soon as this month to ease travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Asahi reports, citing unidentified government officials.

Japan plans to prioritize business travelers and then open borders to students, while tourists will be the last to be allowed entry, the report says.

Kuwait

Kuwait on Wednesday reported 745 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 46,940 and the death toll to 358, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 8,867 patients are receiving treatment, including 139 in ICU, the ministry added.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 685 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 37,715.

Kuwait started on Tuesday the second phase of restoring normal life, which will last three weeks.

In the second phase, public and private sectors will resume work with less than 30 percent capacity, in addition to the resumption of operation in shopping malls, financial sector, construction sector, retail shops, parks, and pick-ups from restaurants and cafes.

A mask-clad man walks in the vicinity of Arbil Citadel in the capital of the northern Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region amid a lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, on June 30, 2020. (SAFIN HAMED / AFP)

Lebanon

Lebanon reopened Beirut airport on Wednesday after four months of closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. 

Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan announced during his tour at the airport that exceptional measures were taken by the ministries that are involved in the airport's reopening, the civil aviation authority and security forces to ensure protection of tourists, expatriates and locals. 

"The measures that are taken at the airport aim to select suspect cases and prevent them from getting in touch with other people in the society," the minister said.

Despite the continuous increase in infections since 10 days until today, hospitals are using a minimal number of ventilators and there exists many empty beds at private and public hospitals, according to the ministry.

"The private and public hospitals are capable of receiving infections that may arise in the coming days," he said. 

Beirut airport restarted its operations with only 10 percent of its capacity a year ago, or about 2,000 passengers a day. 

Passengers will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival and take a second test three days later to prevent any potential spread of the virus. If testing positive, passengers will be sent to hospitals and be forced to quarantine for two weeks. 

Director General of the airport Fadi El Hassan told local TV channel OTV that several necessary measures have been taken, including the placement of disinfectants all over the airport, and signs to separate travelers according to social distancing rules.

"We have also placed thermal scanners in different areas of the airport which can detect the fever of passengers. These scanners are used worldwide and they are very accurate," he said.

Lebanon is expected to receive around 15 flights on Wednesday from Europe and the Gulf countries. 

The first aircraft arrived in the morning was from the United Arab Emirates. Some passengers were satisfied with the measures taken at the airport while others complained about the big number of people which exposes arrivals to risk of COVID-19.

Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased by 33 to 1,778, while the death toll remained unchanged at 34.

Malaysia

Malaysia reported no new COVID-19 local transmissions on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement that one new imported case had been detected, a Malaysian national returning from Turkey.

"It has been four months since the first case of second wave of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia reported on Feb 27. For the first time, today, Malaysia recorded the lowest daily COVID-19 cases during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

"More importantly, there are no cases COVID-19 reported to be infected from the inside country, local transmission, among Malaysians and foreign nationals," he added.

The total number of cases in the country is now 8,640 of which 144 are active cases.

Among the active cases, four are being held in intensive care units and two of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Another 21 cases had been released, bringing the total cured and discharged to 8,375 or 96.9 percent of all cases.

No new deaths had been reported, leaving the total deaths at 121.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said primary school students in fifth and sixth grade and secondary school students would open on July 15, while remaining primary school students would return on July 22.

This is after schools for middle schools senior grade students proceeded to operate on June 24. Government offices and private preschools and kindergartens have also reopened.

Mohd Radzi added that tuition centers will be allowed to open as well, starting July 15.

More sectors are opened on Wednesday, including spas and massage centers, cinemas, theaters, indoor live events and swimming pool activities.

The Malaysian government has also allowed social events like wedding receptions, engagement ceremonies, religious events, birthday and anniversary celebrations to be held, beginning in July.

Myanmar

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar has risen to 303, with four more confirmed cases on Wednesday, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

According to the release, the newly confirmed cases are returnees who were under quarantine after their recent arrivals from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Britain.

As of Wednesday, a total of 77,766 samples were tested for COVID-19 and 5,993 patients are under investigation at present, the ministry said.

According to the ministry's figures, 222 patients have recovered from the disease so far, with six deaths having been reported so far.

Myanmar reported its first two positive cases of COVID-19 on March 23.

New Zealand

New Zealand reported no new cases of COVID-19 for two consecutive days on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health.

The number of active cases in New Zealand remains at 22. All the active cases have recently returned from overseas and are or were in managed isolation facilities, said a ministry statement.

Oman

Oman reported 1,010 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus infections in the country to 40,070.

The tally of recoveries in Oman rose to 23,425 after 1,003 more patients recovered from the virus, while the death toll climbed to 176 after seven more deaths were confirmed.

Palestine

Palestine on Tuesday announced 322 new COVID-19 cases in the West Bank, bringing the total number of coronavirus infections to 2,765.

The Palestinian Health Ministry announced that the death toll climbed to 10 after two more fatalities were added.

Qatar

Qatar's health ministry on Wednesday announced 915 new infections of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 97,003.

"Some 2,401 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 83,965, while two others died, raising the fatalities to 115," the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a statement by the ministry.

A total of 360,502 people in Qatar have undergone lab tests for COVID-19 so far, it added.

 Republic of Korea

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has started distributing stocks of the COVID-19 treatment remdesivir which have been donated by Gilead Sciences Inc and plans to begin talks to purchase more supplies in August, its disease control agency said.

“Patients who are eligible for remdesivir are limited to severe patients with pneumonia and in need of oxygen therapy,” the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.

It did not disclose how many doses have been donated by the US firm.

Gilead said on Monday it has priced remdesivir at US$390 per vial in the United States and other developed countries and agreed to send nearly all of its supply of the drug to the United States over the next three months.

The ROK reported 51 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of 0:00 am Wednesday local time, raising the total number of infections to 12,850.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, which has the highest daily coronavirus infections in the past month, reported 4,387 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally of the confirmed cases to 190,823.

The number of recoveries rose to 130,766 after 3,648 more were added, while 50 new fatalities were reported, raising the death toll to 1,649.

Singapore

Singapore has controlled the spread of the coronavirus and kept fatality rates low, the country’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says in a letter posted to his Facebook page. 

“We fought hard over the past few months to manage the health crisis,” says Lee, speaking in his capacity as secretary-general of the People’s Action Party. “Thanks to the efforts of our healthcareprofessionals and your cooperation, we have controlled the spread of the virus and kept fatality rates low.”

The Philippines

The Philippines' health ministry on Wednesday reported 999 more coronavirus infections and four additional deaths. In a bulletin, the ministry said total confirmed cases have reached 38,511 while deaths have increased to 1,270. 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday retained partial restrictions in the capital Manila for another two weeks to contain the spread of the virus while reducing the pandemic's economic damage.

Turkey

Turkey's COVID-19 cases increased by 1,293 on Tuesday, as the total cases climbed to 199,906, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

Meanwhile, 16 people died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,131, the minister tweeted. The total number of recoveries rose to 173,111 after 1,302 new recoveries were added.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 421 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 48,667.

UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said that 490 more patients fully recovered from the virus, taking the tally of the recoveries to 37,566. It also confirmed one more death, raising the country's death toll to 315.

Yemen

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 1,158 on Tuesday, as 30 new cases were confirmed. The death toll rose to 312, while the number of recoveries increased to 488.