Iraq records highest daily increase of COVID-19 with 153 cases

A medical worker takes a sample from a man for COVID-19 testing in Sadr City district in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 20, 2020. The Iraqi Health Ministry on Thursday recorded 153 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily increase so far, bringing the total number of infections to 3,877 in the country. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Thursday recorded 153 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily increase so far, bringing the total number of infections to 3,877 in the country.

The new cases were recorded after 6,151 test kits were used across the country during the past 24 hours, and a total of 169,760 tests have been conducted since the outbreak of the disease, the ministry said in a statement.

It added that 113 new cases were registered in Iraq's capital Baghdad, 15 in Basra, nine in Diyala, eight in Erbil, three each in Najaf and Sulaimaniyah and one each in Maysan and Wasit, the statement added.

So far, 140 people have died of the virus, while 2,483 have recovered, the statement said.

On May 18, Iraqi Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi said at a press release that the health authorities decided to impose a curfew on six districts in Baghdad for two weeks to curb the latest increase in COVID-19 cases.

The curfew is scheduled to start on Wednesday in the districts of Sadr City, Habibiyah, Kamaliyah, Hurriyah, Shula and Ameriyah, al-Tamimi said.

Since the outbreak of the disease, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, including a nationwide curfew.

On May 10, the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, decided to partially lift the curfew, while full curfew will continue for Friday and Saturday in addition to the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr in late May.

Eid al-Fitr is the festival of breaking the fasting after the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

On April 26, a Chinese team of medical experts left Iraq after a 50-day stay to support Iraq in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. China has also donated batches of medical supplies to Iraq to help combatting the coronavirus.