Coronavirus Watch in Mideast: Iran's COVID-19 cases surge to 866,821 as Iraq's death toll nears 12,000

Source: Xinhua| 2020-11-24 05:30:30|Editor: huaxia

A woman wearing face mask feeds birds in Tonekabon, Iran, Nov. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

-- Iran's cases reach 866,821, 45,255 deaths;

-- Iraq's death toll nears 12,000;

-- Turkey's daily cases surpass 6,000 in two consecutive days;

-- UAE's infections exceed 160,000.

CAIRO, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran's COVID-19 cases rose to 866,821 on Monday with an addition of 12,460 new infections. Meanwhile, the total deaths from the coronavirus in Iraq approached 12,000.

The pandemic has claimed 45,255 lives in Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, after an overnight registration of 453 more deaths.

A total of 610,406 coronavirus patients have recovered in Iran, with 5,812 still in critical condition.

In the meantime, the Iraqi Health Ministry announced 2,136 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 537,457.

A health worker carries out COVID-19 tests at a laboratory in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 17, 2020. (Xinhua)

The ministry also reported 38 new deaths and 2,202 more recovered cases in the country, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 11,996 and the total recoveries to 467,654.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed by 6,713 to 453,535 on Monday.

The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 12,511 after 153 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, while the total recoveries increased to 377,891 with 3,254 new ones.

People wearing masks walk by the Lake Eymir in Ankara, Turkey, on Nov. 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

Saudi Arabia announced on the same day 231 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total tally to 355,489.

The recoveries rose to 343,816 with 445 more recovered cases in the kingdom, while the death toll reached 5,796 with the registration of 16 more fatalities.

In Israel, 905 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, taking the tally of coronavirus infections to 329,823.

The death toll of the virus in Israel increased to 2,810 with 11 new fatalities, while the total recoveries rose to 318,524 after 637 new recovered cases were added.

Earlier in the day, Israel's Ministry of Justice issued a report showing that the number of bankruptcy applications filed in Israel since the beginning of 2020 has surged 41 percent compared with the same period in 2019.

The leap is caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the two full lockdowns imposed in the country, it said.

In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose by 2,587 to 327,528. The number of recoveries from the coronavirus in the country increased to 275,185 after 4,701 more were added, while the death toll rose by 80 to 5,396.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 1,065 new cases, raising the total confirmed cases in the country to 160,055.

The tally of recoveries in the UAE rose to 149,578 after 707 more patients have recovered from the virus and the death toll reached 554 with two more fatalities.

Kuwait reported 337 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 140,393 and the death toll to 868 in the country.

People wearing face masks walk at a shopping mall in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, Oct. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Asad)

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced the recovery of 670 more patients, taking the total recoveries in the country to 132,848.

In Qatar, 186 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, increasing the total number to 137,415, including 236 deaths and 134,486 recoveries.

Oman registered 275 new infections from the virus on the same day, bringing the nationwide cases to 122,356 with 1,386 deaths and 113,577 recoveries.

In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 1,041 to 117,517 on Monday, while the death toll rose to 911. A total of 69,079 patients have recovered in the country.

Palestine reported 1,552 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 85,892, including 723 deaths and 71,613 recoveries.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye told the weekly meeting of the cabinet on Monday that the government will impose a full lockdown all over the West Bank between this Friday morning and Sunday morning.

He said the complete lockdown would include stores, restaurants, cafes, and other facilities in all West Bank cities, towns, villages, and refugee camps, excluding bakeries and pharmacies.

"Right after that, the lockdown will be partial from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day for two weeks all over the West Bank," Ishtaye added, according to an official government statement.

In addition, Libya reported 650 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally to 78,473, including 49,592 recoveries and 1,102 fatalities.

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