CAIRO - Kuwait's civil aviation authority decided on Friday to stop all flights to and from Iran amid fears from coronavirus outbreak, the state news agency said, citing the authority's statement.

The authority also decided to ban residents or those with entry permission who were in Iran during the past two weeks adding that any Kuwaiti national arriving from Iran will be directed to isolation. Moreover, it has been decided to ban entry for travelers coming from Iran.

The statement that comes in accordance with the Kuwaiti health ministry instructions, called citizens not to travel to Iran for the time being.

The coronavirus has spread to several Iranian cities, a health ministry official said on Friday, as an outbreak that the authorities say began in the holy city of Qom caused two more deaths.

(Reporting by Alaa Swilam; Editing by David Gregorio) ((Alaa.Swilam@thomsonreuters.com; 00201116281191))