People wearing face masks walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
--Iraq's total number of infections climbs to 219,435;
--Israel's tally of confirmed cases rises to 110,403;
--Iran's death toll from COVID-19 reaches 21,137;
--Turkey reports 1,491 new COVID-19 cases.
CAIRO, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's total number of COVID-19 cases approached 220,000 on Thursday with the addition of 3,651 new infections. Meanwhile, the tally of coronavirus cases in Israel surpassed 110,000 as the COVID-19 resurgence continued.
Iraq's Health Ministry reported that the total number of infections in the country climbed to 219,435, while the death toll surged to 6,740 after 72 more deaths were confirmed.
Sayf al-Badr, spokesman of the ministry, said in a press release that the health situation in Iraq is still under control despite logistical difficulties, which are mainly caused by decades of failure to support the Iraqi health system.
People wearing face masks walk on a street in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/ Gideon Markowicz/JINI)
Israel, which has also witnessed COVID-19 resurgence recently, reported 2,000 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, taking the tally of confirmed cases to 110,403.
Israel's death toll from the deadly disease rose to 884 after nine more people died, while the total recoveries increased to 877,726 with the addition of 1,260 new recoveries in the past day.
In Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, the total COVID-19 cases climbed to 367,796 on Thursday, after 2,190 new cases were reported overnight, the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education announced.
The death toll in Iran surged to 21,137 after 117 new deaths were recorded. The tally of patients having recovered from COVID-19 reached 316,638, while 3,822 people are currently in critical condition and treated in the intensive care units.
Saudi Arabian Health Ministry reported 1,019 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections to 311,855, as the death toll soared to 3,785 with the addition of 30 new fatalities.
The total number of recoveries in the kingdom increased to 286,255, after 1,310 more patients recovered from the disease.
People wearing masks attend a wedding in Ankara Turkey on Aug. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
Turkey reported 1,491 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, raising the total confirmed cases to 263,998, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
The death toll in Turkey climbed to 6,209 after 26 more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, while the tally of recoveries so far rose to 240,792 after 995 more patients recovered on the day, Koca said.
Morocco confirmed 1,221 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 57,085, while the death toll rose by 27 to 1,011, said Mouad Mrabet, coordinator of the Moroccan Center for Public Health Operations at the Ministry of Health.
In Kuwait, the tally of COVID-19 cases increased by 674 to hit 82,945, including 522 deaths and 74,522 recoveries.
Currently, 7,901 patients are receiving treatment, including 97 in ICU, the Kuwaiti health ministry said.
Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased on Thursday by 689 cases to 14,935, while the death toll went up by seven to 146.
Lebanese caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan urged citizens to take precautionary measures while warning that the number of beds available for COVID-19 patients in Lebanese hospitals does not exceed 200.
Palestine reported 622 new COVID-19 cases and six more fatalities, raising the total infections to 27,386 and the death toll to 158 in the Palestinian territories.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday announced 491 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 68,511.
At the same time, 402 more patients recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 59,472, UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said, adding that the death toll remained unchanged at 378.
A staff member measures a customer's body temperature at the entrance of a restaurant at Souq Waqif market in Doha, capital of Qatar, on July 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Nikku)
Qatari Health Ministry on Thursday announced 246 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 117,988.
Meanwhile, 239 more recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 114,797, while the total fatalities increased by one to 195, the ministry said.
Oman's Health Ministry on Thursday reported 187 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally of confirmed cases in the Sultanate to 85,005, including 650 deaths and 79,608 recoveries.
The ministry urged everyone to adhere to social distancing instructions issued by the Supreme Committee and the ministry of health, as well as staying home and avoiding going out unless necessary. ■
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-08/28/c_139323270.htm