CAIRO, Feb 3 (NNN-MENA) – Iraq set a new record of daily COVID-19 cases in 2021, with 1,135 infections confirmed yesterday. Meanwhile, Israel will start gradually lifting the lockdown restrictions next week.
The Iraqi Ministry of Health said, its total nationwide cases climbed to 621,755, with the addition of 1,135 new cases.
The ministry also reported 11 new deaths, raising the death toll to 13,068, and 1,210 new recovered cases, bringing the total recoveries to 594,594.
Hassan Nadhim, spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, said, the government decided to impose strict measures on all workers in the ministries and other institutions, and ban on gatherings.
In Israel, Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said, Israel will begin “gradually” lifting COVID-19 lockdown restrictions next week.
He said, the country’s large-scale vaccination rollout is “a key” to exiting the pandemic, and the third nationwide lockdown imposed on Dec 27.
Israel’s Ministry of Health reported 7,951 new cases yesterday, bringing the total tally to 659,356. The death toll reached 4,886, after 73 new fatalities were added, while the total recoveries rose by 8,777 to 581,982.
Turkey reported 7,795 new cases, including 630 symptomatic patients, and 120 more deaths, pushing up its tally of infections to 2,492,977, and its total fatalities to 26,237.
The total number of recoveries in Turkey rose by 8,639 to 2,379,070, according to the Turkish Health Ministry.
Iran announced 6,820 new infections and 72 more deaths yesterday, raising its total cases to 1,431,416, and its death toll to 58,110. The total recoveries in Iran surged by 6,892 to 1,223,197.
Saudi Arabia announced yesterday, a temporary ban on the entry of citizens from 20 countries, including Argentina, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, the United States, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Lebanon, Egypt, India, and Japan.
The ban, effective today, is part of the kingdom’s precautionary measures against COVID-19, due to a recent spike in new infections.
Saudi Arabia recorded 310 new cases and four more fatalities yesterday, taking its total infections to 368,639, and its death toll to 6,383.
Morocco recorded 835 new cases and 22 more deaths, taking its total infections to 472,273, and its death toll to 8,309. The total recoveries in the North African country increased by 795 to 450,847.
In Jordan, 1,132 new infections were confirmed, bringing its total to 329,194, while its death toll rose by eight to 4,334. Recoveries from the virus surged to 316,442, with the addition of 978 new recoveries.
The UAE confirmed 3,310 new infections and seven more deaths, pushing up its total cases to 309,649, and its death toll to 866. The total recoveries in the UAE soared by 3,791 to 285,201.
Lebanon registered a new record of 81 daily deaths, raising the total fatalities from the virus to 3,226, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
The total number of infections in Lebanon increased by 2,770, to 305,842, while the tally of recoveries climbed to 186,052, it said.
Earlier, caretaker Health Minister, Hamad Hassan, emphasised the importance of launching an awareness campaign, about the necessity of vaccination to curb the pandemic.
Kuwait’s COVID-19 cases increased by 811 to 166,654 yesterday, while the death toll rose by one to 960.
The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced the recovery of 510 more patients, taking the total recoveries to 158,986.
The Omani health ministry yesterday announced 161 new cases, raising the total number to 134,685. Oman’s total recoveries rose by 105 to 127,054, while the death toll remained unchanged at 1,532.
Qatar’s Health Ministry reported 375 new cases, raising the total confirmed number to 152,095. Recoveries climbed by 158 to 146,111, while the death toll remained at 249, for the second consecutive day.
Libya reported 1,032 new cases and 13 more fatalities, taking its tally of infections to 120,434, and its death toll to 1,896. Its total number of recoveries rose by 1,007 to 100,593.– NNN-MENA
