CAIRO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 464,596 in Iran on Friday. Meanwhile, some countries in the Middle East region including Israel, Lebanon and Tunisia, decided to strengthen or issue new measures to curb the virus spread.
Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, reported 3,552 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 464,596.
The pandemic has so far claimed 26,567 lives in Iran, up by 187 in the past 24 hours. A total of 385,264 coronavirus patients have recovered, while 4,137 are still in critical condition.
In the meantime, 4,785 new COVID-19 cases were detected in Iraq during the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide infections to 372,259.
The death toll from the coronavirus in Iraq rose to 9,298 after 67 fatalities were added, while the total recoveries increased to 299,804 as 3,922 more patients recovered.
The Iraqi Health Ministry called on all pilgrims and officials of mosques and shrines to take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent the coronavirus spread during the Arbaeen ritual as thousands of Shiite pilgrims are heading every day from many Iraqi cities to the holy Shiite city of Karbala, some 110 km south of Baghdad.
Saudi Arabia registered 481 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total cases to 335,578. The death toll reached 4,823 with the reporting of 29 new fatalities.
The kingdom will allow pilgrims residing inside the country to perform the Umrah, beginning on Oct. 4, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed by 1,442 to 321,512, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced.
The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 8,325 after 63 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, Koca said, adding that the total recoveries increased to 282,657.
Turkish Interior Ministry Spokesperson Ismail Catakli told reporters at a press conference that as of Oct. 1, 2,474 people, including those who violated COVID-19 isolation rules and who were not able to properly self-isolate, are under mandatory quarantine across the country.
In Israel, 5,430 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, taking the tally of coronavirus infections to 258,920.
The death toll of the virus in Israel increased to 1,633 while the recoveries rose to 185,122.
Earlier on the day, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a special assessment regarding the spread of the coronavirus in the Jewish ultra-Orthodox sector, saying that there would be no easing of restrictions in this sector, and he ordered to strengthen the local authorities in dealing with pandemic via government assistance.
In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 128,565 after 2,521 new cases were added, which included 2,263 fatalities and 106,044 recoveries.
In Qatar, 205 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, increasing the total number to 126,164, including 215 deaths and 123,108 recoveries.
Kuwait reported 411 new cases, bringing the country's total number of infections to 106,087, of whom 615 have died and 97,898 recovered.
Algeria registered 157 new cases, taking the nationwide infections in the country to 51,847, which included 1,749 deaths and 36,385 recoveries.
Palestine reported 545 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 51,607, including 42,544 recoveries and 379 deaths.
In a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday declared an extension of the state of emergency by 30 days in the Palestinian territories which will start on Saturday.
In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 1,291 to 42,173, while the death toll went up by 12 to 386.
Lebanon's Interior Ministry announced on the same day the full shut down of 111 villages due to the spread of the virus in the country.
Public departments and private companies will stop working in these villages while social events will be cancelled and only hospitals, supermarkets, bakeries, and pharmacies will continue their operations.
Tunisia recorded 1,308 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 19,721 with 271 deaths.
New urgent preventive measures will be taken to combat the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the country, Moroccan Minister of Health Faouzi Mehdi announced.
In addition, local authorities in three Tunisian provinces including Sousse, Monastir and Sidi Bouzid decided to impose a night curfew from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. local time, which took effect on Thursday night and will continue until Oct. 15 according to the pandemic situation in the these provinces.
In Jordan, 549 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, increasing the tally of cases to 13,650 with 79 deaths and 4,929 recoveries. Enditem
