Iraq confirms first case of coronavirus in Baghdad; sixth nationwide
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq’s Ministry of Health and Environment confirmed on Thursday the official registration of the first case of coronavirus in the capital of Baghdad, bringing the total known number of infections across the country to six.
There have been initial reports of an additional seventh case in the disputed city of Kirkuk, but it has not yet been confirmed by health officials.
According to the announcement, the affected individual is a youth who recently returned from a visit to Iran and, after presenting with known symptoms of the COVID-19, as it is officially known, then voluntarily checked himself into a hospital for inspection. Health officials report that he is being treated in an intensive care unit and his condition is currently stable.
The statement also mentioned that he has been separated in quarantine in accordance with all regulations circulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and that he had traveled to Turkey before returning to Iraq.
This makes a total of six confirmed cases of coronavirus in Iraq, all of which appear to have contracted the coronavirus while visiting neighboring Iran. The first was a resident of the Iraqi city of Najaf, followed by a family of four individuals from Kirkuk.
Read More: Iraq’s Health Ministry confirms four cases of coronavirus in Kirkuk
On Tuesday, the nation's council of ministers allocated an emergency budget to the health ministry and local governments aimed at increasing emergency preventive measures aimed at halting the spread of the contagious disease.
Read More: After coronavirus emerges in Iraq, gov't approves emergency budget
“Preventing the spread of the coronavirus must be given the highest priority and highest attention,” read a statement by Iraq's health minister following a cabinet meeting that day.
The coronavirus has spread to over 26 countries, including China – where it originated – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Russia, Singapore, and India among others. The World Health Organization has already declared the outbreak an international health emergency.
There are around 80,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus all around the world, over 77,000 of which are in mainland China. So far, over 2,600 people have died suffering from the virus with 27,000 more recovering.
Editing by John J. Catherine