An Iranian boy wearing a face mask chases pigeons on a street in Rasht, Iran, on Aug. 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
--Iran's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 20,000;
--Turkey reports highest daily cases in past 1.5 months;
--Saudi Arabia's tally hits 302,686;
--Iraq's tally reaches 188,802.
CAIRO, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The total fatalities over COVID-19 in Iran hit 20,125 on Wednesday after 134 new deaths were registered overnight. Meanwhile, Turkey reports highest daily COVID-19 cases of past 1.5 months.
Spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education Sima Sadat Lari that over the past 24 hours, 2,444 new patients were diagnosed, taking the total confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the country to 350,279.
By now, Sadat Lari added that 302,528 cases have recovered and 3,868 remain in critical condition in Iranian hospitals' ICUs.
People keep a physical distance as they watch a play at an open-air amphitheater in Istanbul, Turkey, on Aug. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Osman Orsal)
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia hit 302,686, with 1,363 new coronavirus cases.
The total recoveries in the kingdom rose to 274,091 with the addition of 1,180 recoveries, while the death toll surged to 3,506 with 36 new fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.
The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 4,093 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 188,802, while a health official warned that the lockdown of districts is still an option to curb the increase of infections.
It also reported 85 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 6,121, while 2,529 more patients recovered in the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 134,369.
Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili said in a press release that lockdown is still an option if we need it in some districts in the capital Baghdad.
People wearing face masks are seen in Rabat, Morocco, on Aug. 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Chadi)
The number of deaths has been increasing due to the soaring infections with coronavirus, al-Jumaili said.
He expressed his regret that many citizens do not abide by the restriction measures and the health instructions, which led to the increase of infections with the pandemic.
Turkey confirmed 1,303 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total cases to 253,108, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
Meanwhile, 23 more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 6,039, while the total recoveries in Turkey rose to 233,915, Koca tweeted.
Our number of cases has been on the rise for a while. We reached the highest number of patients of the last 1.5 months, the minister said in a press conference.
He noted that people, who do not have chronic illnesses, rest in isolation, and apply the treatment at home. The healthcare teams contact these people on the first, third, seventh, and fourteenth days after they are diagnosed, Koca added.
Morocco reported 1,510 new COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths, making the tally of infections at 46,313 and death toll at 743.
The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 31,576 after 574 new ones were added.
A medical worker collects a swab sample from an athlete for COVID-19 tests at a medical center in Capital Governorate, Kuwait, Aug. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Ghazy Qaffaf)
Kuwait reported 675 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 78,145 and the death toll to 507, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also announced the recovery of 528 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 69,771.
Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased by 589 cases to 10,347, while death toll went up by two to 109, the Health Ministry reported.
This is the highest daily increase of COVID-19 cases in Lebanon.
Head of Lebanese Order of Physicians Charaf Abou Charaf urged donor countries to help in equipping public hospitals and send field hospitals to Lebanon to treat COVID-19 patients since the current medical establishments are not enough.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 435 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 65,341.
UAE also reported 113 more patients who have recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the country to 58,022, and confirmed one more death, pushing the country's death toll to 367.
The Qatari health ministry announced 295 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 115,956.
Meanwhile, 303 more recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 112,658, while the death toll remained at 193.
Tunisia reported 113 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 2,427, and the death toll hit 60.
All passengers must present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test to enter Tunisia, said Tunisia's acting Minister of Health Mohamed Habib Kechaou on Wednesday. ■
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-08/20/c_139303312.htm