COVID-19: Iraq continues setting records, with 1,268 new infections and 28 deaths

The Iraqi health ministry announced Sunday 1,268 new coronavirus cases and 28 deaths from the disease over the past 24 hours.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Sunday, the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment announced 1,268 new coronavirus cases and 28 deaths from the disease over the past 24 hours, continuing to break its previous records for the third day in a row.

A ministry statement said that 8,609 tests were conducted in Iraq’s medical laboratories over a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of tests for the virus since the beginning of the epidemic in Iraq to 303,053.

The ministry noted that the total number of infections had now risen to 12,366, including 346 deaths, and 5,186 recoveries. There are also reportedly 6,834 active cases.

On Saturday, the Iraqi High Committee for National Health and Safety extended a nationwide curfew for another week, the third time the federal government has taken the measure since first reintroducing a lockdown for the Eid Al-Fitr holidays.

The decision came during a committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Based on the body’s recommendation, Kadhimi decided to extend the curfew until June 13, to implement a partial lockdown and quarantine areas with a high number of infections.

The strict curfew procedures will prevent any form of public gathering, movement of vehicles inside cities, and traveling between Iraqi provinces without exceptions.

The measure also stipulates that citizens are not allowed to leave their homes unless it is to buy daily necessities, and once outside, they must wear protective masks and gloves and abide by social distancing to minimize the risks of viral transmission.

Furthermore, the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority announced on Saturday that “airports throughout Iraq, including Erbil, will remain closed to commercial passenger flights until further notice.”

Editing by Khrush Najari