Workers wearing face masks work at a restaurant in Baghdad, Iraq on Aug. 19, 2020. (Xinhua)
--Iraq's cases hit 197,085 with risk of health infrastructure collapse;
--Israel's tally of cases exceeds 100,000;
--Iran's cases up to 354,764 with 20,376 deaths;
--Morocco's total cases near 50,000.
CAIRO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Iraqi official on Friday warned of the collapse of the country's health infrastructure as the total nationwide COVID-19 infections near 200,000. Meanwhile, Israel's tally of cases crossed the threshold of 100,000.
Iraqi Health Ministry reported 4,288 coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide infections to 197,085.
It also reported 75 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 6,283, while 3,246 more patients recovered in the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 140,446.
The health institutions in Iraq is in trouble. So citizens must abide by the preventive health instructions, Iraqi Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili warned.
In Israel, the total number of coronavirus cases reached 100,716 with 1,117 new cases registered since Thursday night.
Israeli people with protective masks are seen in central Israel city of Tel Aviv amid COVID-19 pandemic on Aug. 21, 2020. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)
The death toll rose to 809 with 14 new death cases, while the total recoveries reached 77,785 after 3,206 new ones were added.
In the mean time, Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, reported 2,206 new cases, taking the total number of infections to 354,764.
The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 20,376 in Iran, up by 112 in the past 24 hours. A total of 305,866 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 3,794 still in critical condition.
People wearing face masks shop at a bazaar in Rasht, Iran, on Aug. 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
Saudi Arabia announced 1,213 new cases and 32 more deaths, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 305,186 and the death toll to 3,580.
The kingdom also reported 1,591 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 277,067.
In Turkey, the total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 255,723 with 1,203 new infections, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.
The death toll from the virus in the country increased to 6,080 after 22 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, Koca said, adding 772 more patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 235,569.
In Qatar, 257 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, increasing the total number to 116,481, including 193 deaths and 113,216 recoveries.
Kuwait reported 502 new cases, bringing the country's total number of infections to 79,269, of whom 511 have died and 71,264 recovered.
A Medical worker collects swab sample for COVID-19 test in Sale, Morocco, on Aug. 21, 2020. (Xinhua)
In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 49,247 after 1,609 new infections were reported, which included 817 fatalities and 33,199 recoveries.
Algeria recorded 409 new infections, raising the tally of cases to 40,667, including 1,418 deaths and 28,587 recoveries.
The Palestinian minister of health reported 457 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 24,398, including 15,270 recoveries and 136 deaths.
In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 628 to 11,580, while the death toll went up by three to 116.
The country has started on the day a new phase of general mobilization measures and a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time.
Tunisia's tally of infections reached 2,607 after 64 new cases were added, including 64 deaths and 1,420 recoveries.
In Jordan, the total infections increased to 1,532 after 34 new ones were added while a total of 1,262 patients have recovered and 11 died of the virus. ■
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-08/22/c_139308740.htm