Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Tuesday that Yemen is free from the deadly coronavirus, according to the government-run Saba news agency.

The disease, officially known as COVID-19, has spread across several gulf states including Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman, claiming nearly 2,800 lives globally. The health ministry in the interim capital Aden has taken preventative measures to prepare for any emergency, Deputy Health Minister Ali Al-Walidi said in a statement.

Rumours about quarantining patients are inaccurate, he said, noting that the government is preparing centers for treatment and monitor possible cases if necessary.