Kurdistan health minister says COVID-19 remains threat despite decline in cases

“The coronavirus infection rate has decreased to a low level, especially with the suspension of schools.”

Mustafa Shilani 2020/11/23 20:01

kurdistan Kurdistan Health COVID-19 SARS

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Health Minister Saman Barzinjy on Monday said that despite a significant reduction in the number of daily coronavirus infections in the region, the virus remains a potent threat.

The minister’s comment came during a press conference held in Erbil following his meeting with the region’s Parliamentary Health Committee.

“The coronavirus infection rate has decreased to a low level, especially with the suspension of schools, and we are moving towards a further decline,” Barzinjy said, adding, “We hope that we will be able to contain the pandemic eventually.”

Public and private schooling in the Kurdistan Region was suspended for a month starting in November due to an infection spike among teaching staff and students.

Barznji explained that “the rate of infections in the Kurdistan Region has now decreased to 53 percent of numbers from the end of last month.” He stressed that “despite the reduction in cases, the virus still poses a threat.”

The Kurdistan Region’s total fatalities from the coronavirus topped 3,000 since early March, when the disease first appeared in the region, according to official figures.

“We will prepare a new report at the beginning of next month, and we will decide whether or not to restart schooling.”

Editing by Khrush Najari