The health ministry has recommended restricting on-arrival visa service for citizens of Iran, South Korea, and Italy as these countries are witnessing accelerated coronavirus infection.

Health Secretary Md Asadul Islam confirmed this to The Daily Star this evening.

"We have recommended it to the home ministry. They might have executed these measures," he said.

However, The Daily Star could not reach any official of the home ministry to confirm the execution of the measures.

Earlier on February 2, the government temporarily restricted on-arrival visa services for Chinese nationals as a precautionary measure to prevent the new virus from entering to the country.

In the latest development, Iran confirmed 1,501 cases of novel coronavirus with 66 deaths, while the number is 1,694 in Italy with 34 confirmed deaths and 4,335 in South Korea with 26 deaths.

The virus has already killed more than 3,000 people, with the infection spreading to 58 countries. The World Health Organization has raised its global alert level to very high for all countries.