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Cycling race canceled with 2 virus cases, Froome quarantined

By JON GAMBRELL2 hours ago

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A major cycling race in the United Arab Emirates was canceled early Friday after two Italians tested positive for the new coronavirus, setting off a quarantine that also ensnared four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome of Britain.

The Abu Dhabi Sports Council's decision to cancel the race comes as the virus rapidly spreads across the wider Middle East, with over 370 confirmed cases. Many link back to Iran, which has the highest death toll outside of China, the epicenter of the virus that causes the COVID-19 illness.

Just a day earlier, Saudi Arabia took the unprecedented step of closing Islam's holiest sites off to foreign pilgrims to stop the virus' spread. Meanwhile, the virus continued its spread across top leaders in Iran, afflicting Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar. She's better known as "Sister Mary," the English-speaking spokeswoman for the students who seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and sparked the 444-day hostage crisis.

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