WHO stresses importance of protective measures, as Iraq records 3,731 new COVID-19 cases

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment on Sunday announced 3,731 new coronavirus cases and 68 deaths over the past 24 hours.

The ministry said in a statement that health workers had conducted just over 20,000 tests in 24 hours, raising the total number of such tests to about 1.59 million since the start of the pandemic.

According to official figures, Iraq has now confirmed 231,177 coronavirus infections, including about 173,000 recoveries, nearly 7,000 fatalities, with over 51,000 cases still active.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday praised the leading role of the Kurdistan Region's Duhok province in the fight against COVID-19 due to it having the lowest fatality rate compared to the rest of the country.

Related Article: Kurdistan Region records 540 new COVID-19 cases; WHO praises Duhok in fighting virus

The statement came from the WHO representative to Iraq, Adham Ismail, during a joint press conference with the Duhok governor. He stated, "our livelihood will never return the same as all indication shows us that the virus will remain with us for now."

Ismail also stressed the necessity of avoiding public gatherings as 57 percent of infections come from being in such assemblies, according to the WHO.

The official also stated that you could reduce the chances of infection by 30 to 40 percent just by wearing a protective mask; that is why it is essential to make it a "daily routine."

"We hope that by the end of the year there will be a vaccine, even so, it will not be enough for all of the Iraqi population."

"I estimate that it will take one year to be able to provide the vaccine for all of Iraq," Ismail added. He also explained that once the vaccine is out, it will be in demand worldwide, making it challenging to provide it for all of Iraq in a short period.

Editing by Khrush Najari