Pilgrims pray in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on July 29, 2020. (Xinhua Photo)
-- Iran reports 2,636 new cases, 298,909 in total;
-- Chinese association donates facial masks to Turkish nursing home;
-- Iraq records 2,968 new cases, the highest daily increase;
-- Muslim pilgrims start first day of Hajj rituals in Mecca.
CAIRO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran Wednesday recorded 2,636 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total infections to 298,909. Meanwhile, a Chinese association based in Turkey donated 50,000 facial masks to a nursing home in Istanbul.
Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said the pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 16,343 Iranians, up by 196 in the past 24 hours.
Besides, 259,116 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 4,027 remain in critical condition.
People shop at an old bazaar in Marivan city, western Iran, July 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
A Chinese association based in Turkey donated 50,000 surgical filter masks to a local nursing home in Istanbul on Wednesday as a sign of solidarity with the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Representatives of the Turkey branch of the China Peaceful Unification Association delivered the masks to the Istanbul Directorate of Almshouse officials during a ceremony.
The almshouse belonging to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has been hosting 700 elderlies in its compound located on the Asian side of the city.
Saudi Arabia's coronavirus cases rose to 272,590 with the registration of 1,759 new infections.
The recoveries increased to 228,569 with the reporting of 2,945 newly recovered cases, and the death toll reached 2,816 with the reporting of 27 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday embarked on the first day of their Hajj rituals in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrims started the major Islamic pilgrimage after finishing four days of hotel isolation in Mecca and prior to that a week-long quarantine at home, as part of the preventative measures to guard against COVID-19.
People walk past a store in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Osman Orsal)
Turkey confirmed 942 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections to 228,924, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
Meanwhile, 14 people died from the virus, taking the death toll to 5,659, and the total recoveries rose to 212,557, he said.
Turkey will impose no further restrictions against COVID-19 for the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, Koca said but urged citizens to take precautions.
Celebrate the Eid by phone and please visit graveyards after Eid, the minister told reporters at a press conference following a meeting with the Coronavirus Science Board.
He urged the public not to kiss, shake hands or hug each other during the holiday and asked people to stay in the livestock markets as little as possible.
In Iraq, the Health Ministry recorded 2,968 new cases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the disease, and 68 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 4,603.
About 2,399 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 83,461.
Iraqi Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili said on Wednesday that the country will witness a new wave of COVID-19 infections.
The infections are still high and Iraq is still in the first wave of COVID-19 infections, al-Jumaili told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Al-Jumaili attributed the expected new wave to the absence of anti-coronavirus drugs, as well as the lack of compliance of the citizens with the preventive measures, according to INA.
Kuwait reported 754 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 65,903 and the death toll to 444, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also announced the recovery of 786 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 56,467.
Egypt registered 409 daily new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 93,356, and the death toll from the disease rose to 4,728 after 37 fatalities were added.
A medical worker takes a sample for coronavirus test from a girl in an enclosed booth amid COVID-19 pandemic in central Israeli city of Tel Aviv on July 28, 2020. (Xinhua Photo)
Israel recorded the highest daily hike in COVID-19 infections with 2,006 new cases confirmed, taking the total confirmed cases to 68,299. The death toll in Israel rose to 491 after five new fatalities were added.
Oman reported 665 new coronavirus cases, raising the tally of infections to 78,569, including 412 deaths.
In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases surged to 22,213 with 826 new infections recorded in the past 24 hours, while the death toll rose to 334.
Palestine recorded on Wednesday 520 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases of the deadly virus in the Palestinian territories to 14,458 with 82 deaths.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 375 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 59,921.
The death toll remained 347 and 297 more patients have recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 53,202.
The Qatari health ministry announced 273 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 110,153.
Meanwhile, 246 more recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 106,849, while the death toll increased by two to 169 in Qatar.
Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased by 182 cases to 4,202 while the death toll went up by one to 55. ■
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