A soldier is on duty under a curfew in Baghdad, Iraq, April 19, 2020. The Iraqi Health Ministry on Sunday confirmed 26 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 1,539 in the country. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
BAGHDAD, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Sunday confirmed 26 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 1,539 in the country.
The 26 new cases during the past 24 hours were five in the capital Baghdad, 17 in Basra, one in each Najaf, Wasit, Babil and Dhi Qar, the ministry said in a statement.
So far, 82 have died from the disease while 1,009 recovered, said the statement, adding that no deaths were registered during the day.
The Iraqi authorities have taken several measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, including imposing a nationwide curfew.
Meanwhile, the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by the caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, decided to partially lift the earlier imposed curfew hours from 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) to 7 p.m. (1600 GMT) during the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to start on April 24 or 25, according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
To help Iraq cope with the coronavirus spread, a Chinese team of seven experts has been working with their Iraqi counterparts since March 7.
