COVID-19: Kurdistan Region announces ‘red phase’ as total deaths near 5,000
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The autonomous Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Health warned on Monday that the region has officially entered a "red phase" of the global coronavirus pandemic.
"The epidemiological situation is in peril," Minister Saman Barznji said in a press conference held after the opening of a new COVID-19 clinic in Erbil.
On Friday, regional health officials reported 28 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking a new all-time fatality record from the highly contagious disease.
Read More: Kurdistan records worst death toll from COVID-19
Barznji added that the rate of infections and deaths during the previous week continued to steadily rise, noting, "We are in the process of preparing a report on the epidemiological situation and today this report will be completed."
"According to this report," he explained, "the Kurdistan Region has reached the red phase and is in a dangerous situation."
He then repeated what has become something of a mantra for KRG officials hoping to enlist the public in protecting itself by stressing, "The best way to confront (the disease) is adherence to preventive measures" such as masking and social distancing.
The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Health recorded 2,543 new coronavirus infections, and 19 deaths due to the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases in the region up to 256,001, including 4,951 deaths.
Erbil health authorities on Sunday organized an immunization campaign to administer COVID-19 vaccines to public service retirees at a park in the capital city.
Read More: Erbil launches COVID-19 vaccination campaign for retirees
"Today, we have allocated one hundred vaccines to those who registered their names as a first dose, and this campaign will continue," said Erbil's Director-General of Health Dlovan Jalal in a press conference.
"We have also designated a special health center to provide vaccines for the elderly and retirees, especially those suffering from chronic illnesses."
Editing by John J. Catherine