Workers unload boxes containing Chinese aid at the international airport of Damascus, Syria, on April 15, 2020.(Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)
--Iran's COVID-19 cases hit 77,995, death toll at 4,869;
--Turkey reported 74,193 cases with 1,643 deaths;
--Egypt, Lebanon and Syria received medical supplies from China;
--Israel lost 12 bln USD amid COVID-19.
CAIRO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nudges 80,000 both in Iran and Turkey on Thursday, but with different speed. Meanwhile, more countries in the Middle East have received medical aid from China.
Iran's health ministry said on Thursday that 1,606 more people tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number to 77,995.
The death toll of the pandemic in the country has hit 4,869, up by 92, while 52,229 have so far recovered and left hospitals.
The increase in infections in Iran, the worst-hit country in the Middle East, has been declining continuously. But some Western media disagreed.
Iran's parliament dismissed the reports of Western media about the number of infections and death toll over the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.
"The figures released by foreign media about coronavirus cases and casualties (in Iran) are wrong and invalid," said Mohammad Qassemi, the caretaker director of the Parliament's Research Center, who accused foreign media outlets of distorting the figures.
Turkey on Thursday witnessed another daily increase of over 4,500 new cases, posing a trend of surpassing Iran in the tally of total infections soon.
Turkish health minister confirmed 4,801 new COVID-19 cases and 125 more deaths from the virus, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 74,193 and the death toll to 1,643.
And 7,089 patients have recovered, while 1,854 others are being treated in intensive care units.
People wearing face masks do shopping at a market in Ankara, Turkey, April 14, 2020.(Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
As part of efforts to curb virus' spread, Turkey started to release thousands of prisoners.
Egypt received on Thursday the first batch of China's anti-coronavirus materials including 20,000 N95 masks, 10,000 protective suits and 10,000 testing kits for COVID-19.
Mohamed Shawky, undersecretary of Egyptian Health Ministry, expressed his "appreciation to the Chinese side for the aid and its support for Egypt amid the ongoing difficult conditions."
Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said China will provide information and technical assistance for Egypt to contain the pandemic, adding more batches of aid will be sent to Egypt in the coming days.
So far, Egypt has confirmed 2,673 COVID-19 cases, of whom 196 have died and 596 recovered.
Also, China has donated medical supplies to Syria and Lebanon.
China has donated 3,000 testing kits and 200 manual thermometers to Lebanon, and donated 2,016 COVID-19 test kits to Syria, to help them fight against COVID-19.
Photo taken on April 16, 2020 shows medical supplies donated by China in Beirut, Lebanon. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)
Lebanon has registered 663 COVID-19 cases with 21 deaths. Syria has confirmed 33 cases, including five recoveries and two deaths.
Israel, the third worst-hit country in the region, on Thursday reported 257 new COVID-19 cases and 12 new deaths, raising the total cases to 12,758 and death toll to 143.
It's largest business organization said the pandemic has so far caused a damage worth 12 billion U.S. dollars to the Israeli business sector.
The main sectors affected are tourism, hospitality industry and non-food retail.
Kuwait on Thursday reported 119 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 1,524.
The death toll remained at three, and 225 patients have recovered while 1,296 patients are receiving treatment, including 32 in ICU.
In Doha, the health ministry said 392 new cases were detected, pushing the tally to 4,103, of whom seven have died and 415 other recovered.
Oman reported the same day 109 new cases of the pandemic, and the death toll remained at four.
The Iraqi health ministry confirmed 19 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 1,434.
So far, out of the total confirmed cases, 80 died and 856 others recovered, said the ministry.
The United Arab Emirates, the first among the Gulf countries to report COVID-19 cases, registered 460 new COVID-19 infections, as the tally hit 5,825.
People work in a factory to produce medical face masks in Cairo, Egypt, on April 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)
Its health ministry also confirmed two more deaths, pushing the country's death toll to 35.
In Saudi Arabia, the situation is also threatening. So far, 6,380 cases tested positive for the virus, and 83 have passed away.
Morocco reported 259 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,283.
The death toll from the virus reached 130, while the number of cured cases stood at 249, its health ministry said.
Algeria said 12 deaths and 108 infections with the virus have been reported in the past 24 hours.
The death toll of COVID-19 in the country hit 348, and the total infections rose to 2,268 as 783 patients have recovered.
Tunisia's total cases of COVID-19 reached 822 after 42 new cases were detected. The death toll now stood at 37.
The total cases infected with COVID-19 in the Palestinian territories reached 376 on Thursday, including 282 in the West Bank, 13 in the Gaza Strip and 81 in East Jerusalem. ■
