Kurdistan Region reports 72 new COVID-19 cases, 5 deaths in a single day
On Thursday, the Kurdistan Region’s health ministry confirmed 72 new cases and five deaths had been recorded over the past 24 hours.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Thursday, the Kurdistan Region's health ministry published its daily COVID-19 update, confirming that it had recorded 72 new cases and five deaths over the past 24 hours.
A ministry statement said that, out of the 2,254 tests conducted for the highly-contagious virus across the region in a single day, 72 came back positive. Out of the new infections, Sulaimani province recorded the highest with 58 new cases, 11 in Erbil province, and three cases in Duhok province.
A total of 1,709 cases have been confirmed since the disease first spread into the Kurdistan Region's borders, including 35 deaths, 551 recoveries, and 1,123 active cases remaining, the statement added.
Health Authorities' Warnings
In a press briefing on Thursday, Sulaimani's top health official, Dr. Sabah Hawrami, urged the public again to adhere to health regulations because "doctors and hospital capacities are limited," otherwise "the situation might get worse."
He added that due to a limited supply of ventilators and necessary medical equipment, coronavirus patients are at a higher risk of fatality.
"We have hospitals that are made for seven patients but are now providing oxygenation administration for 30 persons," Hawrami said. "I will not hide it from you, saving all the patients might be difficult due to overloading."
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Iraq, Dr. Adham Ismail, stated that the public's lack of adherence to anti-coronavirus health regulations and Iraq's, as well as Kurdistan Region's, hasty resumption of trade with neighboring Iran have contributed to the recent dramatic spike in the number of new daily cases and deaths across the Middle Eastern nation.
Read More: WHO: 'Breach' of health regulations, trade with Iran behind new COVID-19 spike in Iraq, Kurdistan
On Tuesday, Health Minister Saman Barzinjy held a meeting with public health experts and doctors throughout the Kurdistan Region to discuss a new plan to combat the spread of the disease.
In a press conference held following the meeting, the minister said that as of Tuesday, "Seventy-five percent of the confirmed cases belong to the second peak," adding, "It is not too late yet to prevent further spread of the virus."
He also reiterated that residents have to protect themselves from the virus by strictly adhering to precautionary measures enacted by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Barzinjy stressed that frequent hand washing and wearing masks are simple actions, but ones that can reduce the risk of infection.
Parliament Suspends Sessions
On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Region's parliament issued a statement in which it confirmed that "a number of" parliamentary staff and one lawmaker had tested positive for the coronavirus disease, formally referred to as COVID-19.
"In light of the new coronavirus cases, the leadership is closing parliament for two weeks," read the statement, which members of parliament to get tested for the virus "as soon as possible" if they have not already.
Editing by Khrush Najari
