COVID-19: KRG to re-evaluate schools attendance as it records 689 new infections

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Health on Saturday reported 689 new coronavirus infections and 24 deaths in the past 24 hours.

According to the latest official figures, the total number of infections in the Kurdistan Region has now reached 76,025, including 42,809 recoveries and 2,455 deaths.

The new infections come as a health official said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) would study new measures for public schools where the virus is spreading.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Aso Hawezi said in a statement that the KRG’s anti-coronavirus committee would meet on the situation on Sunday.

In response to calls to shut down schools as staff and students catch the coronavirus, Hawezi said, “We are assessing the situation, and we will leave the decision to the High Committee.”

“Education is very important, but people’s lives are more important.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Kurdistan Region Teachers’ Union reported a surge in new coronavirus infections among students and teachers and advised measures to combat the disease.

The union’s head said that “school attendance should be on a rotational basis.” He suggested that there should be a cohort system, with two separate groups. One group would attend school for the first three days of the week and move online for the rest of the week.

The KRG has taken a series of measures to ensure education continues uninterrupted.

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Editing by Khrush Najari