BAGHDAD, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry reported on Thursday 1,380 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 571,253, while the recoveries surpassed 500,000.
The new cases included 360 in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, 227 in Nineveh, 159 in Kirkuk, and 130 in Duhok, while the other cases were detected in the other provinces, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also reported 25 new deaths and 2,121 more recovered cases in the country, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 12,526 and the total recoveries to 501,967.
A total of 3,803,674 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February, with 34,442 done during the day, according to the ministry's statement.
Meanwhile, Hassan al-Khalatti, a member of the health parliamentary committee, told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the health ministry plans to diversify the sources of vaccines instead of importing them from one company.
Khalatti said the ministry formed a committee to contact international companies producing the vaccine and imposed conditions for importing the vaccine, including the approval of the World Health Organization for the vaccine and the availability of logistical requirements for importing the vaccine, INA added.
Iraq has taken a series of measures to contain the pandemic since February when the first coronavirus case appeared in the country.
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
