DUBAI: Residents who lead social gatherings and celebrations in Jordan are at risk of being detained amid concerns they imperil public health amid the rising coronavirus cases.

Administrative governors were instructed to take the ‘strictest’ measures against organizers of celebrations and large social gatherings, with numbers exceeding 20 persons, upon instructions of the minister of interior Salameh Hammad, state news agency Petra reported.

Violators will be detained ‘administratively’ for two weeks and would not be released whatever the reasons, Hammad said, to deter those who have failed to comply with the government rules concerning public health and safety.

The minister asked that the administrative rulers give ‘utmost attention’ to enforcing the anti-virus instructions and cooperate and coordinate with the security agencies in their areas, the Petra report added.

The Kingdom announced 40 new COVID-19 cases, including 30 local infections, bringing its total caseload to 1,756.

Seven residential buildings, five in Amman and two in Balqa governorate northwest of the capital, have been isolated after coronavirus cases were discovered among the residents there.

The buildings were sterilized and precautionary measures implemented, with police patrols deployed to ensure that no person entered or exited the isolated buildings.

Meanwhile, a 24-hour movement restriction would be implemented in Amman and Zarqa, following the increasing number of local coronavirus infections in both governorates.

The curfew will begin at 11 p.m. on Thursday until 11 p.m. on Friday, a government announcement said, to enable contact tracing of individuals and address the transmission of coronavirus.