AMMAN, Feb 23 — Jordan said on Sunday it would bar entry to citizens of China, Iran and South Korea and other foreigners travelling from those countries in response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

The minister of state for media affairs, Amjad Adayleh, said the decision was part of "preemptive measures... following the rise in cases of coronavirus in South Korea, Iran” and China.

Adayleh said the ban would be "temporary” and imposed on all non-Jordanians coming from the three nations among the worst affected by the illness.

"Jordanians who come from those countries will be placed in quarantine for two weeks to ensure they have not contracted the coronavirus,” he said.

His comments came as South Korea on Sunday raised its alert on the new coronavirus to the highest level after reporting three more deaths and 169 new infections.

Iran reported three more novel coronavirus deaths among 15 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities in the Islamic republic to eight and infections to 43.

Jordan has so far not reported any cases of coronavirus in the kingdom. — AFP