Kurdistan Region in ‘worst stage’ of pandemic: health ministry official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region is in the worst stage of the coronavirus pandemic, a health official told Rudaw on Tuesday, warning the situation is likely to get worse as autumn approaches.

"We are at the worst stage of the coronavirus right now," Dr. Mohammed Qadir, spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Health told Rudaw.

“There is no sign to show that the situation will improve any time soon..if we want to assess our situation, we have to work on data and statistics from at least two weeks before," he added.

Qadir’s comments come as the Kurdistan Region recorded its highest number of deaths since the outbreak began.

Health authorities announced 26 deaths on Tuesday evening. 

Of this number, 11 came from Erbil province, nine from Sulaimani, four from Garmiyan administration and the remaining two from Raparin, according to a statement from the health ministry.

"During the autumn and winter, respiratory diseases and flu will increase. If by then our situation has not improved, we may have to fight two pandemics at the same time, which will place a heavier burden on us," Qadir warned.

The health ministry recorded 618 new cases on Tuesday, including 241 in Erbil , 91 in Sulaimani, 25 in Garmiyan, 153 in Duhok and 43 in Halabja.

Since the onset of the virus in late February, the Kurdistan Region has seen a total of 22, 278 cases, of which 12,807 have recovered and 803 have died. 

With 4,336 active cases, Erbil is the epicenter of the pandemic, followed by Sulaimani with 3,307 cases.