COVID-19: Kurdistan reports nearly 200 new cases, 16 deaths

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s health ministry on Thursday reported close to 200 new coronavirus cases as well as 16 fatalities due to complications related to the disease, the same number as the previous all-time daily high.

Out of over 2,100 tests health workers conducted over a 24-hour period, 195 came back positive, according to a ministry statement. Of the total, 162 were in Sulaimani province, now the epicenter of the outbreak in the Kurdistan Region. There were also 16 new deaths, 12 of which were in Sulaimani.

Only 29 patients recovered from the disease in the past day, per official data. There is now a total of nearly 4,900 coronavirus infections across the autonomous region, including about 3,200 active cases and just under 1,550 recoveries.

The statement also said that 149 people in total have passed away from the disease.

Related Article: KRG reports 216 new COVID-19 cases, gives local gov’ts authority to institute curfew, lockdown

On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Region’s interior ministry issued an order that authorized provinces to enact complete or partial local curfews, as well as a series of other measures, to curb the further spread of the virus.

Erbil, Sulaimani Limited Shutdown

A day later, Erbil authorities announced that all government offices, entertainment venues, shops, restaurants, and places of worship are to be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Saturday and lasting at least until July 3. The order is expected to exclude public facilities operating under the health and interior ministries.

During the same period, there will also be a curfew in effect, with only essential traffic allowed from nighttime until early morning.

In Sulaimani, the coronavirus crisis center, called a provincial "operation room" by the KRG, ordered all vehicular travel banned in the downtown area of the city, with only pedestrian movement permitted.

“In the coming days, the number of deaths is going to increase if you do not protect yourselves,” said Abdullah Ahmed, deputy head of the Sulaimani health directorate, on Thursday. He also called on the public to be cautious when they head outside and interact with others.

“Gloves and masks are easier to come by than blood plasma,” he pleaded.

Since late May, the number of new cases has risen dramatically throughout Iraq as the nation reopened domestically as well as some border crossings with neighboring Iran—from where the infection spread to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region—, and upped examinations to detect the virus.

Earlier on Thursday, federal government in Baghdad announced new all-time highs for both new infections and fatalities since the virus first entered Iraq’s borders in February. 

Read More: COVID-19: Iraq tops daily record for new cases, deaths; total infections near 40,000

The coronavirus has infected more than 9.5 million people worldwide and killed over 484,000 according to government-reported data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The actual figures could be dramatically higher due to insufficient testing capabilities or underreporting.

Editing by John J. Catherine