Iraq advises against any gathering to avoid spreading coronavirus

CAIRO (Reuters) - Iraq's health ministry advised the public on Saturday against any gathering in order to avoid spreading the coronavirus, the state news agency reported.

Iraq has detected five new cases of coronavirus, four in Baghdad and one in Babel province, the health ministry said on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases to 13.

The patients were placed in quarantine, the ministry said in a statement.

(Reporting by Hesham Abdul Khalek, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)