CAIRO, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Iran rose to 556,891 on Friday with a record high of 6,134 daily new infections. Meanwhile, the tally of coronavirus infections in Morocco surpassed 190,000.
The pandemic has so far claimed 31,985 lives in Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, up by 335 in the past 24 hours. A total of 446,685 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 4,933 still in critical condition.
In the meantime, the total nationwide COVID-19 cases rose to 190,416 in Morocco after 3,685 new cases were added, which included 3,205 fatalities and 157,175 recoveries.
In Iraq, 3,785 new coronavirus cases were detected during the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide infections to 445,949.
The death toll from the coronavirus in Iraq rose to 10,513 after 48 fatalities were added, while the total recoveries increased to 375,188 as 3,362 more patients recovered.
Saudi Arabia announced 383 new cases and 14 more deaths, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 344,157 and the death toll to 5,264.
The kingdom also reported 397 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 330,578.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed by 2,165 to 357,693, while the death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 9,658 after 74 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours and the total recoveries increased to 311,520.
In Israel, 593 new cases were reported, bringing the tally in the country to 308,840.
The death toll reached 2,329, with 10 new fatalities. The total number of recoveries reached 290,130, with 1,793 new ones, while the active cases dropped to 16,380.
According to Israeli media, Israel's special cabinet for handling the COVID-19 is set to convene on Oct. 25 to discuss allowing shops and more schools to reopen.
In Qatar, 249 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, increasing the total number to 130,711, including 229 deaths and 127,599 recoveries.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 1,563 new cases, raising the total confirmed cases in the country to 122,273.
The tally of recoveries in the UAE rose to 115,068 after 1,704 more patients have recovered from the virus and the death toll reached 475 with one more death.
Kuwait reported 812 new COVID-19 cases and 10 more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 120,232 and the death toll to 740 in the country.
The Kuwaiti health ministry also announced the recovery of 726 more patients, taking the total recoveries in the country to 111,440.
Palestine reported 513 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 61,183, including 53,925 recoveries and 510 deaths.
In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 1,543 to 68,570, while the death toll went up by seven to 559.
Lebanese caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan opened on the day a coronavirus department at Ragheb Harb Hospital in southern Lebanon while reiterating his call for private hospitals to join efforts with public hospitals in the fight against the virus.
The minister noted that Lebanon transferred nearly 4.4 million U.S. dollars to COVAX, an international initiative aimed at ensuring equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, to secure a quantity of vaccines against the virus.
Algeria announced 273 new infections, increasing the total nationwide cases to 55,630 with 1,897 deaths and 38,788 recoveries.
In Jordan, 2,489 new COVID-19 cases and 27 more deaths were recorded, increasing the tally of cases to 48,930 and the death toll to 508. A total of 7,445 patients have recovered with an addition of 105 new ones.
Tunisian Health Ministry announced that 1,322 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed, raising the tally of infections to 47,214 in the North African country.
The death toll from the virus rose by 44 to 784, the ministry said in a statement.
"The ministry recorded 1,058 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, including 163 in intensive care units and 98 others are mechanically ventilated," it added. Enditem
