Kurdistan Region reports 3 new COVID-19 cases, raising total to 347

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Health Ministry on Sunday reported it had confirmed three more cases of the new coronavirus disease, raising the total number of infections across the region to 347.

A ministry statement said the health authorities tested 814 people for the disease over the past 24 hours, formally known as COVID-19. “Three new infections were recorded” from the tests, it confirmed. Two of the individuals that tested positive were in Erbil province and the other one was the case of a 75-year-old man in Duhok province.

The region’s total tally has increased to 347, including 4 deaths and 320 recoveries, the ministry asserted. This means that the number of active cases is 23, who are all “under medical surveillance.”

The statement also noted that 1,601 people remain in quarantine. The total number since the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) begun taking precautionary measures to contain the virus is 9,017, as more citizens return from abroad and put into mandatory 2-week isolation.

The ministry reiterated its call on citizens to abide by health safety guidelines and KRG’s curfew measures to contain the highly-contagious disease.

Over the past four days, KRG has reported nine new coronavirus infections. This came after five days of no new cases. To contain the new coronavirus disease, the regional authorities have put into place a series of preventative measures, including restrictions on movement and shutting down areas of large gatherings.

These steps have been relaxed recently as the number of new cases has fallen. Still, top KRG officials have repeatedly stressed that the virus still poses a threat to public health, potentially resulting in new outbreaks should citizens falter in observing measures to limit transmission.