COVID-19: Kurdistan Region records new uptick of 591 cases, over 20 deaths

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Health on Monday reported a new uptick of 591 coronavirus cases along with 25 fatalities in the past 24 hours.

The ministry said in a statement that it had conducted 5,211 tests across the region in 24 hours, of which 591 returned positive: 234 in Duhok province, 169 in Erbil, 115 in Sulaimani, and 30 in Halabja.

The statement also mentioned there had been 25 fatalities due to the disease in the same period: three in Duhok, nine in Erbil, 12 in Sulaimani.

The statement noted that the total number of infections across the Kurdistan Region since the outbreak is 28,752. Of the total, 18,049 patients have recovered, 1,074 have died, while 9,629 are still receiving treatment.

On Sunday, the WHO in Iraq praised the leading role of the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province in the fight against the disease, as it has the lowest death rate compared to the rest of Iraq.

“The fatality rate in Duhok province is one percent, which is an excellent rate while in other Iraqi provinces, the death rate is three percent,” Adham Ismaeil, the WHO representative in Iraq, stated. “I believe the province [Duhok], so far, is an example that we should look at in the fight against COVID-19.”

Ismail’s remarks come as his organization delivered $270,000 worth of medical aid to Duhok to help better fight the virus.

“Duhok can still control the pandemic,” Ismail said, noting that infections would increase once the provincial government lifts all restrictions.

The death rate in the province indicates that a “good health service” is provided to COVID-19 patients.

Duhok province has recorded close to 3,900 of the Kurdistan Region’s coronavirus cases. Only 46 patients have died due to the disease there.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany