Coronavirus Watch in Mideast: Iran tally of COVID-19 cases hits 652,705; WHO to provide 2 mln USD for Iraq to cope with pandemic

Source: Xinhua| 2020-10-25 04:15:11|Editor: huaxia

A woman wearing a face mask walks on a street in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

--Iran tally of COVID-19 cases hits 652,705;

--WHO will provide 2 mln USD for Iraq to cope with pandemic;

--Iraq's total infections rise to 449,153;

--Mayor of Istanbul is hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19.

CAIRO, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 infections confirmed in Iran reached 652,705 on Saturday, after an overnight registration of 5,814 new cases. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it will provide 2 million U.S. dollars in aid for Iraq to cope with the pandemic.

Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the ministry, said during her daily briefing that 335 new lives were lost in the coronavirus epidemic, taking the total death toll to 32,320.

A total of 450,891 patients have recovered or been released from hospitals so far, with 4,952 still in critical condition in intensive care units, according to Lari.

Dr. Mohammed Abdul-Hussein examines lung images at al-Shifaa Center in Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 12, 2020. (Xinhua Photo)

The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 3,204 new COVID-19 cases, raising nationwide infections to 449,153.

The ministry also reported 55 new deaths and 3,021 more recovered cases in the country, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 10,568 and the total recoveries to 378,209.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it will provide 2 million U.S. dollars in aid for Iraq to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Iraqi Health Ministry reported 3,204 new cases in the country.

Wael Hatahit, head of the WHO's emergency team in Iraq, said in a press release that WHO will provide medical assistance for Iraq during the last months of this year to support the country's health sector in confronting the coronavirus pandemic.

In the upcoming two months, the organization will focus on preparing a large shipment of protective equipment including diagnostic devices for medical workers in order to maintain their safety, Hatahit added.

People wearing face masks walk on a beach in Antalya, Turkey, on Oct. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

Turkey confirmed 2,091 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of diagnosed patients to 359,784. And 69 people died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 9,727, the Turkish Health Ministry announced.

It said 1,573 patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 313,093 in Turkey since the outbreak.

Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, said that he was hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19.

"Today, I tested positive for COVID-19. I am feeling well and will be recovering in the hospital," Imamoglu tweeted.

Saudi Arabia announced 395 new cases and 17 more deaths, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 344,552 and the death toll to 5,281. The kingdom also reported 330,995 total recoveries.

In Israel, 534 new cases were reported, bringing the tally in the country to 309,374.

The death toll reached 2,366, with 37 new fatalities. The total number of recoveries reached 291,130.

Kuwait reported 695 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 120,927 and the death toll to 744 in the country.

The Kuwaiti health ministry also announced the recovery of 670 more patients, taking the total recoveries in the country to 112,110.

A woman wearing a face mask walks on a street in Casablanca, Morocco, on Oct. 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Chadi)

Morocco announced 4,045 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country since March 2 to 194,461.

The number of recoveries from the coronavirus increased to 160,372 after 3,197 more were added, while the death toll rose by 50 to 3,255, the health ministry said in a statement.

The Qatari health ministry announced 254 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 130,965.

It said 269 more recovered from the virus, bringing the overall recoveries to 127,868, while the fatalities remained 229 for the second consecutive day as no new deaths were reported.

The National Center for Disease Control of Libya reported 990 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total cases in the country so far to 54,374.

The center said in a statement it received a total of 1,910 suspected samples, of which 990 were tested positive, adding that 346 patients have recovered while 16 others died.

Palestine reported 410 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 61,593, including 54,307 recoveries and 514 deaths.

Tunisian Health Ministry announced that 1,585 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, raising the tally of infections to 48,799 in the North African country.

The death toll from the virus rose by 35 to 819, the ministry said in a statement.

"Most of the deaths are registered among the elderly category and others among the age groups between 40 and 50 with chronic diseases," said Nissaf Ben Alaya, director general of the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases.

Algeria announced 250 new infections, increasing the total nationwide cases to 55,880 with 1,907 deaths and 38,932 recoveries.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune began self-imposed lockdown on Saturday after contacting senior officials who showed symptoms of COVID-19, according to a statement from the Presidency.

Tebboune decided to go into lockdown for five days with the advice from the medical staff of the presidency, the statement said.

The tally of COVID-19 cases in Jordan rose to 50,750 after 1,820 new infections were recorded.

The fatalities from the virus climbed by 32 to 540, the Jordanian Health Ministry said in a statement.

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