COVID-19: KRG announces over 540 new cases; prison visits resume with precautionary measures

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Health Ministry announced over 540 new cases of coronavirus along with 19 deaths in the past 24 hours, as the regional social affairs announced it would resume prison visits with strict precautionary measures.

In a statement, the ministry said health workers had conducted 4,910 tests across the region over the past 24 hours, with 545 returning positive. Of the total, the highest figures were in Duhok province, which recorded 211. Erbil had 193 cases, Sulaimani had 99 cases, while Halabja had 23.

The statement noted that 19 patients had died during the same period: eight in Sulaimani, seven in Duhok, and four in Erbil.

The ministry has reported 34,230 cases across the Kurdistan Region since the pandemic began. Of these, 1,265 people have died, 11,409 remain under treatment, and 21,556 have recovered.

It is important to note that a patient classified as a “recovery” means they are no longer being actively treated by health professionals, not that they have fully recovered. Increasingly, medical experts are recognizing that some COVID-19 symptoms, such as fatigue, continue for long, after an individual’s formal recovery.

Prison visits resume

The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs announced on Tuesday that it had resumed prison visits following its halt for six months, as part of the government’s preventive measures against the virus’ spread among cells.

Both the visitors and prisoners must wear face masks and gloves during the sessions, according to a ministry statement.

Each prisoner can receive up to three visitors on the scheduled days, according to a ministerial statement. “On a daily basis, only 100 prisoners can meet with their visitors,” the statement added.

Lately, the Kurdistan Region has witnessed new surges in coronavirus cases across its provinces, particularly Duhok and Erbil, which enjoyed fewer daily infections compared to Sulaimani province.

Nowadays, Duhok, once the least impacted province, records high daily infections. The province’s governor recently said that “around 90 percent” of the responsibility lies with the residents to protect themselves from infections, via reducing physical interactions.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany