CAIRO, June 13 (NNN-MENA) – Iran on Friday reported 2,369 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally to 182,545. Meanwhile, Turkey’s tally of confirmed cases reached 175,218.
Iran, which re-emerged as the hardest-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East region, also reported 75 more deaths from the virus, raising the death toll to 8,659.
So far, 144,649 patients have recovered from the disease in Iran.
Iran’s senior health official urged the people to wear facemasks in public places, observe social distancing and avoid unnecessary gatherings. She also urged the elderlies to stay home.
In Turkey, the total number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 175,218 after 1,195 new infections were reported, Turkish Health Minister, Fahrettin Koca, said on Friday.
In a single day, 15 people died, taking the death toll to 4,778, the minister said.
He said that Turkey saw an increase in COVID-19 patients in intensive care units, warning against “false optimism” for the outbreak.
“The rise in the number of intensive care and intubated patients is on the limit of our expectation. The spread of the virus is due to false optimism. Let’s follow the mask, distance, and hygiene rules,” the minister tweeted.
Egypt confirmed 1,577 COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections registered in the country to 41,303.
Meanwhile, 45 new patients died from the virus, bringing the death toll to 1,422 in Egypt, said Khaled Megahed, the health ministry’s spokesman, in a statement.
On Thursday, the government announced it will reduce the current nine-hour curfew to eight hours from June 14 to 30, amid a “coexistence plan” to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.
The country will also resume foreign tourism and aviation services in some coastal provinces with the least COVID-19 infections as of July 1, after they have been suspended since Mar 19 over coronavirus concerns.
In Israel, the number of new daily coronavirus cases continue to surpass 200 for the second day in a row.
Israeli Ministry of Health said, 226 new patients were added, bringing the total number of cases to 18,795, while the number of death cases remained 300.
Earlier on Friday, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office and the Health Ministry announced that starting June 14 (tomorrow), weddings and events to mark baby birth, may be held in events halls.
According to the decision, the number of participants in such events shall not exceed one person per two square metres, up to a maximum of 250 people, not including hall employees.– NNN-MENA
