‘We may lose control’ Iraq warns after ‘alarming’ increase in COVID-19 infections

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment warned of an "alarming increase” in COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, on the back of what it says is the lack of commitment to preventive measures across the country.

Iraq has recently been recording new cases far exceeding 1,000 on a daily basis.

"Our epidemiological pointers indicate that the epidemiological situation in Iraq has become very worrying, [and] that infection rates and critical cases are on an alarming increase,” the health ministry said in a statement.

The ministry attributed the reason to "the continued laxity in applying preventive precautions by citizens, governmental and non-governmental institutions."

"We see a clear insistence of citizens to reduce the importance of the data issued by the Ministry of Health about the seriousness of the situation and the possibility of infection increasing to levels where our health institutions may lose control over absorbing the number of patients and endanger the lives of many loved ones," it said.

The ministry again urged the importance of preventative measures – especially wearing masks – and called for people to consider compliance “a national and moral duty.”

Health regulatory authorities called for "tightening supervision over restaurants, cafes, malls, parks and other facilities with human gatherings, and taking appropriate disciplinary measures against violators."

Iraq on Friday recorded 2,530 new cases and six deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 639,438, and deaths to 13,157.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly