Fifty people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Kurdistan Region, according to the latest statement from the Ministry of Health. 

Thirty-one cases were recorded in Sulaimani province, with 19 in Garmiyan. Only 12 are said to have displayed symptoms of the virus. 

This brings the total number of cases of COVID-19 in the Region to 1,698. Of this number, 546 have recovered and 30 have died.

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The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is to send delegations to Baghdad, diplomatic missions, the World Health Organization (WHO) and international organizations to request their aid in fighting COVID-19, according to a statement from the KRG. 

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a  meeting of the coronavirus crisis cell via teleconference on Wednesday and made a number of decisions, including “assigning” the ministries of health, interior and Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) to seek more aid. 

The ministries will “contact and visit relevant authorities in the Iraqi government, World Health Organization’s office in Iraq and Kurdistan Region, consulates, foreign diplomats, and international organizations so that they can support the Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus,” read a statement from the cell. 

The Kurdistan Region is home to 22 consulates, seven embassies, consular and commercial offices, six honorary consulates and several international organizations, according to data available on the DFR website. 

The Region has confirmed 1,648 cases of the virus. Of this, 546 have recovered and 30 have died. 

The KRG has previously received aid from WHO and the Iraqi government to combat the virus, but has not curbed the number of cases in recent weeks.   

The government also decided to dedicate five billion Iraqi dinars ($4.2 million) to the health ministry to cover its coronavirus-related costs, the statement added.

Other decisions included mandatory wearing of face masks in public places, and the continuation of a travel ban between provinces. 

By Karwan Faidhi Dri

 

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Eight new cases of coronavirus recorded have been recorded in Garmiyan, according to the Kurdistan Region's health ministry. 

According to a statement from the ministry, two contracted the virus from other patients previously confirmed as infected, and only six showed symptoms of the virus. 

A total of 1,645 COVID-19 cases have been recorded across the Kurdistan Region since the outbreak began. Of this number, 546 have recovered and 30 have died.

By Karwan Faidhi Dri

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Iraq's health ministry has announced 1,146 new cases of COVID-19 in the country via a Wednesday statement, in a considerable jump from yesterday's case toll.

Tuesday saw the lowest number of coronavirus cases recorded in the country since June 4, with new case numbers dipping to 787.

The ministry's Wednesday statement also announced 34 new deaths of those who contracted the virus.

Iraq has recorded 15,414 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic first hit the country in February.

By Shahla Omar 

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Kurdistan Region's Parliament decided on Wednesday to shut its doors for two weeks after "several" positive cases of COVID-19 among its staff were identified.

Parliament's statement did not specify how many MPs or employees were confirmed to have contracted the virus. A parliamentary source who did not want to be identified told Rudaw that 1 MP and 3 parliament employees had tested positive. 

Tests have so far been conducted for 197 MPs and employees at the parliament, according to the statement.

"We are calling on those parliamentarians who have not yet had tests conducted to do so," it read.

A first case of COVID-19 among parliament employees was confirmed on Tuesday.

By Zhelwan Z. Wali 

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There are 65,000 nurses on the frontline fighting coronavirus in Iran, according to a representative from the government body representing nurses.

Mohammad Mirzabeigi, head of the Iranian Nursing Organization, told state-run media agency IRNA that approximately 7000 nurses have been diagnosed with the virus, which has ravaged across the country.

The official says around 6000 have recovered and at least 17 have died from virus-related complications. 

According to new Iran health ministy spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari, 177,938 have been found to have been infected with the virus by Wednesday lunchtime. Of this number, 81 people have died, raising the total number of deaths in the country to 8506, she told Mehr News Agency.

Reporting by Fazel Hawramy Continue Reading

The Kurdistan Regional Government health ministry announced 26 new cases of COVID-19 in Erbil province on Wednesday, taking the total number of active cases across the Kurdistan Region to 1,064.

The 25 men and one child confirmed to have contracted the virus are in the Koya district of the province.

"Twelve of the cases appear to have come into contact with the previous infected," the statement said, while the potential source of infection for the remaining 14 cases remains unknown. 

By Zhelwan Z. Wali  Continue Reading

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The Kurdistan Regional Government advises anyone in the Kurdistan Region displaying coronavirus symptoms to call its emergency hotline on 122. This service is available in Kurdish and Arabic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More information can be found on the government’s website. Continue Reading