People walk on the street in Baghdad, Iraq, Aug. 12, 2020. The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 3,441 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total nationwide infections to 160,436. (Photo by Khalil Dawood/Xinhua)
BAGHDAD, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Wednesday said it is ready to face a new wave of COVID-19 as it is increasing the capacity of hospitals, while the ministry reported 3,441 new cases in the day, bringing the total nationwide infections to 160,436.
The work is underway to add more than 2,000 beds in hospitals, and now we have wards equipped with all the necessary devices to receive COVID-19 patients, the Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Iraq is still within the first wave of the virus due to the early measures taken by the ministry, al-Jumaili said, adding that the noncompliance by the citizens during the holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha caused the recent increase of infections.
Al-Jumaili concluded that the ministry of health is ready to face the second wave of the disease due to its experience gained by the previous period of work against the pandemic.
Meanwhile, a ministry statement said that its health teams and institutions have used 19,933 testing kits across the country during the day, raising the total testing kits used so far to 1,203,883.
It also reported 57 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 5,588, while 2,439 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 114,541.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic.
China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Iraq's capital Baghdad.
Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-08/12/c_139285891.htm