COVID-19: Day after new record, Kurdistan reports 658 more new cases

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Health on Saturday announced 658 new coronavirus cases, a day after reporting a new 24-hour record.

The ministry said in a statement that it had conducted 3,524 tests in the last 24 hours. Of the total, 658 came back positive: 443 in Erbil province, 148 Sulaimani, and 67 in Duhok.

It also mentioned 179 patients had recovered over the same period, as well as 20 deaths due to the disease.

The ministry outlined that the total number of infections since the outbreak of the pandemic reached 20,660,  including 11,207 recoveries, and 732 fatalities. There are currently 8,721 active cases, according to official data.

In recent days, the Kurdistan Region has been recording an increasingly higher number of coronavirus infections, amid eased lockdown measures and harsh financial conditions.

Earlier on Saturday, Erbil province governor Firsat Sofi said during a press conference that the high rate of infections is due to residents' lack of commitment to health guidelines.

Read More: COVID-19: Kurdistan Region reports a new record of over 660 cases

He added that "what we were trying to avoid has happened," adding that the preventive measures the government has taken may have been insufficient, leading to a transmission increase in Erbil.

Erbil is now the region's worst-hit province with the coronavirus.

"We are prepared to consider all options, but we believe that currently, the best solution is to use the protective masks in public places," adhering to health guidelines, "and staying away from crowded places."

Editing by Khrush Najari