COVID-19: KRG reports 197 new infections, lays down flight rules

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Health On Sunday announced 197 new coronavirus infections as well as 17 deaths due to the disease over the past 24 hours.

A health ministry statement said that it had conducted 2,080 tests over the same period, of which 197 came back positive: 74 in Erbil province, 103 in Sulaimani, 13 in Duhok, and seven in Halabja province.

The statement also pointed out 100 patients had recovered, and 17 others had succumbed to the disease.

Since the outbreak, 12,450 individuals have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to official data. Of the total, there are 6,835 recoveries, 491 fatalities, and 5,124 active cases.

On the same day, the ministry announced the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) health guidelines and regulations that flight passengers must follow to be able to travel into and out of the region's airports.

"The passengers must visit the airport to take COVID-19 medical test, and those flying to Kurdistan Regions airports from abroad will be tested inside the airport as well," the health ministry's statement read.

Another condition for flying is that passengers must be wearing protective masks and gloves before arriving at the airport, the statement added.

On Thursday, Iraq's three international airports reopened for commercial flights in the center and south of the country, as the government moves to ease restrictions, which aimed to limit the spread of the virus.

The Kurdistan Region has not yet opened its airports, but authorities have said they plan to do so on August 1.

Editing by Khrush Najari