Nayrouz News Agency : The Kingdom on Wednesday recorded five new cases of the coronavirus, raising the total number of confirmed cases in Jordan to 358, according to Health Minister Saad Jaber.

During the daily press briefing, broadcast live from the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management, Jaber said that the five new cases were detected in Amman, and that all of the individuals contracted the disease by coming into contact with infected people.

The minister also noted that 12 people left hospitals on Wednesday, increasing the number of recovered patients to 150. There are currently 202 active cases that are still in hospitals, he added.

Also speaking during the briefing, Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said that His Majesty King Abdullah directed the government to discuss means to limit the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on small- and medium-sized enterprises and their employees.

Adaileh noted that the government would gradually resume work in some productive and service institutions with the preconditions of implementing strict precautionary and health measures to guarantee public safety.

The government will impose a comprehensive curfew for two days as of midnight Thursday, he said, stressing that this curfew also applies to all holders of permits and excludes medical personnel in the public and private sectors, epidemiological investigation teams and a "very limited number” of employees and officials responsible for vital work.

Adaileh explained that this comprehensive curfew aims at enabling the epidemiological investigation teams to implement their tasks effectively, noting that the curfew would return to its current form as of Sunday at 10am, allowing citizens to shop for basic necessities every day from 10am until 6pm.

The minister also pointed out that the Health Ministry on Wednesday received 100,000 inspection devices as well as medical equipment from Chinese Businessman Jack Ma, following efforts by Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania.