Iraq passes ‘peak’ of fourth COVID-19 wave; warns of new mutations: Health Ministry 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Health Ministry announced on Friday that the country has passed the “peak” of the recent wave of COVID-19 but warned of the continued dangers of new mutations of the virus. 

“We believe that we have passed the peak of the fourth wave,” Saif al-Badr, the spokesperson for Iraq’s health ministry, told the state-owned Iraqi News Agency on Friday, cautioning citizens must not relax preventive measures. 

The risk of new outbreaks and mutations is real, he added.

In late January, Iraqi health authorities sanctioned the administration of booster shots to anyone aged 18 and above. 

But, the demand for the booster jabs is “below the required level,” according to the health spokesperson. He urged citizens to receive the additional dose to bolster protection against the contagion, warning they could otherwise face hospitalization or even death. 

On Thursday, the ministry reported over 2,200 new infections in 24 hours, 32 of which were fatal. 

The figures include infections in the Kurdistan Region recorded by public health facilities. These figures do not include tests and results conducted by private clinics. 

Out of Iraq’s population of 40 million, over nine million have been vaccinated against the highly contagious disease since the vaccination drive began in early 2021. 

More than 2.2 million Iraqis have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic two years ago. More than 24,000 have died of complications from the virus.