COVID-19: Iraq records 106 deaths, and 2,334 cases in 24 hours

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment On Saturday reported it had recorded more than 2,300 new coronavirus infections, 106 deaths, and 1,477 recoveries in 24 hours.

The ministry said in a statement that health workers had conducted 9,516 on suspected virus carriers, with 2,334 came back positive. The total number of tests since the disease first entered the country has risen to 589,377, according to official data.

The statement also noted the total number of coronavirus infections reached 58,354, which includes 31,077 recoveries, and 2,688 deaths. The ministry added that there are also 24,909 active cases.

Since late May, after opening its border with Iran--the original epicenter of the disease in the Middle East--Iraq has been recording increasingly higher numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths.

Currently, Iraq records the third-highest daily increase in epidemics in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia and Iran, raising concern with hospitals filled with patients, as health systems lack the capacity to treat nearly 2,000 coronavirus cases daily.

"The Ministry has contacted a Russian company, which is in the third stage of treatment production operations, and quantities have been reserved for Iraq if the drug proven successful against the coronavirus," said Hassan al-Tamimi, Iraq's health minister said in a Friday statement.

Tamimi added that "the Russian treatment can be manufactured in any country and has achieved 'positive' results in the US, Japan, and Egypt." He noted further that "the Iraqi state company for drug and medical appliances has approved it as part of the treatment against the Corona pandemic."

Editing by Khrush Najari