"We have decided to shut the land border temporarily after an increase in the number of cases in our neighbour Iran," Hurriyet newspaper quoted the Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca as telling reporters.

All highways and railways were closed as of 5 p.m. local time and flights from Iran suspended, Koca said. Flights from Turkey to Iran are still allowed.

The ministry earlier this week announced that all passengers arriving to Turkey from Iran would be subject to medical checks, and visitors with symptoms for the coronavirus are refused entry to the country.

Iranian authorities reported on Sunday two more deaths from the deadly coronavirus, bringing the country's death toll to eight, the highest death toll from the virus outside of China, the disease’s epicenter.

Reporter’s code: 50101