...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...Interior Minister Mohamad Rahmoun told state media the decision was taken to seal the crowded area to stem any possible outbreak.
"It has a large residential population," he said, Rooters news agency reported.
State media had earlier said that medics had quarantined a building in the heavily garrisoned Sayyeda Zeinab neighborhood for suspected cases of the virus.
Earlier on Thursday, Syrian Health Ministry announced that 6 new infections were detected in Syria to raise the total number of 16 cases.
"6 new coronavirus infections were registered in Syria to raise the total number of 16 cases, among them 2 dead," the Ministry said in a statement.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the situations which are related to the spread of the virus, also known as Covid-19, in Syria are dangerous as the country represents a destination for visiting religious shrines.
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Sayyeda Zeinab: 2016-02-22 Three Terrorist Attacks Target Sayyeda Zeinab Area in Rural Damascus, Kill 50
Sayyeda Zeinab: 2014-08-04 ISIS inflicts easy defeats on Kurdish forces
Sayyeda Zeinab: 2013-05-26 Hariri Says Nasrallah Wants Recognition of 'Hizbullah's State': He Announced Resistance's Suicide in al-Qusayr
Sayyeda Zeinab: 2016-02-22 Three Terrorist Attacks Target Sayyeda Zeinab Area in Rural Damascus, Kill 50
Sayyeda Zeinab: 2014-08-04 ISIS inflicts easy defeats on Kurdish forces
Sayyeda Zeinab: 2013-05-26 Hariri Says Nasrallah Wants Recognition of 'Hizbullah's State': He Announced Resistance's Suicide in al-Qusayr