COVID-19: Kurdistan Region reports over 500 new cases, 17 fatalities
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Health on Sunday reported it had recorded over 520 new coronavirus cases and 17 deaths due to the virus over the past 24 hours.
The ministry said in a statement that it had conducted 3,731 new tests across the region, with 523 returning positive: 194 in Erbil, 98 in Sulaimani, and 189 in Duhok province.
The statement pointed out that there were also 17 more fatalities as the result of the disease, raising the total death tally to 903.
According to official data, the total number of infections since the coronavirus outbreak in the region reached just over 24,000, including about 14,800 recoveries, and 903 deaths. Of the total, nearly 9,000 cases remain active.
On Friday, the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Region issued new decisions to ease restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, while also affirming the enforcement of fines for violators of health guidelines such as wearing masks in public.
The Kurdistan Region’s capital city of Erbil, for its part, announced that while it was easing lockdown, it was also making specific necessary measures mandatory and legally enforceable.
A statement on the new regulations, announced by Erbil Governorate, as it eased the restrictions, explained that face masks are mandatory. Anyone not wearing a face mask in public will be charged 20,000 IQD ($16.)
Furthermore, Duhok Governor Ali Tatar said that the provincial government would facilitate entry procedures into the province by opening roads between Duhok and the rest of the areas of the region.
Tatar also indicated that places such as mosques, tourist sites, restaurants, and cafeterias could be opened, should health conditions allow it, noting that announcement on the issue would come later.
He warned that the situation is getting increasingly worse, stressing that the police would punish any person who violates health guidelines and regulations, including the wearing of masks in public places.
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Editing by Khrush Najari