BAGHDAD, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Deputy Minister of Health Hazim al-Jumaili warned on Wednesday of difficult days ahead as the daily rise in COVID-19 cases has been staying high in Iraq.
"The current figures of infections and deaths are not expected and the citizens were supposed to abide by wearing masks, personal protection, social distancing, and preventing gatherings to cross the pandemic crisis," al-Jumaili said in a press release.
"Every day, many gatherings occur and there must be deterrence," al-Jumaili warned.
Al-Jumaili said that he hoped serious penalties to be applied against violation of the health restrictions.
He confirmed that any return to normal life "is not on the table for the current period," but the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, will discuss the matter for a final decision.
Meanwhile, the health ministry reported 2,834 COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours, bringing the total infections in the country to 137,556.
It also reported 77 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 5,094, while 2,339 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 98,442.
The new cases were recorded after 16,531 testing kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 1,076,150 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement.
Earlier, the health ministry frequently said the increase of COVID-19 infections was caused by lack of public compliance to the health instructions and stronger testing capacity with the increase of labs in Baghdad and other provinces.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic.
On July 26, Iraq's Higher Committee for Health and National Safety decided to extend the weekly full curfew from July 30 to Aug. 9.
China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.
Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem
