COVID-19: KRG allocates $2.5 million to fight pandemic as death toll tops 2,000

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced it had allocated over two million USD to its health sector as part of continued efforts to combat the coronavirus disease, as the virus death toll topped 2,000.

The ministry mentioned in a statement that health workers had conducted 5,324 tests over the past 24 hours across the region, making for a total of 530,918 such tests carried out since the beginning of the outbreak in early March.

Out of the new tests carried out in the past 24 hours, 720 came back positive.

Adding the new figures, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the Kurdistan Region reached 56,465, including 35,276 recoveries.

The number of cases resulting in a fatality in the Kurdistan Region surpassed 2,000.

KRG Allocates New Funds

Regional Health Minister Saman Barzinjy announced on Monday that the KRG had earmarked an additional of three billion Iraqi dinars ($2.5 million) to combat the coronavirus during the fall and winter seasons.

Barzinjy thanked Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for being responsive to the health sector's needs amid the pandemic.

In a speech addressing the Kurdistan Parliament earlier this month, Prime Minister Barzani stated that the KRG had spent 28 billion Iraqi dinars (over $23 million) up to then in fighting the coronavirus.

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The health minister also expressed his concerns over the public's lack of adherence to health and safety guidelines.

Editing by Khrush Najari