Iraqi President Barham Salih has thanked medical workers across  Iraq for their work amid the coronavirus pandemic and warned that the battle against COVID-19  is not yet over.

Salih received the Iraqi health minister Jaafar Sadiq Allawi with a group of medics and  doctors fighting coronavirus at the presidential palace in  Baghdad on Tuesday.

“The battle against corona is not over yet, we are still facing  challenges, and the ultimate victory has yet to be achieved. I  urge everyone to stay home,” Salih said, expressing gratitude to those who work “day and night to keep citizens safe.”

Iraqi authorities recorded 22 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, according  to a statement from the health ministry.

This consider as the lowest number of cases recorded by the Iraqi  health ministry since the start of April.

No deaths were recorded in Iraq on Tuesday, according to data from the ministry.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Iraq including the Kurdistan Region  is 1,400. Of these, 78 have died and 766 have recovered so far.

Earlier this month, Reuters published a report in which they cited  anonymous officials and doctors claiming COVID-19 cases have been drastically underreported.

In response, Baghdad temporarily revoked the credentials of Reuters  and fined the outlet more than $20,000.

Iraq's Media and Communications Commission issued a statement on April  2, accusing the media outlet of using “vague sources and false and  fake news on the ground” and called for an official apology to the  Iraqi government.

On April 3, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Iraqi  authorities to “immediately” reinstate Reuters’ license and allow all  media outlets to report freely on the pandemic. 

By Lawk Ghafuri 

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Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said Tuesday that the coronavirus lockdown will remain in place until the spread of the virus is fully under control. 

“Today I spoke by phone with Erbil province’s ops room and thanked them for their hard work, dedication and leadership,” Barzani tweeted.  

“I also asked them to continue to administer government measures. The curfew remains in place until we have full control over the spread of the coronavirus.” 

Provincial officials have discussed gradually easing the lockdown measures – in place across the Kurdistan Region since mid-March – as the rate of new infections appears to slow. 

However, KRG Health Minister Saman Barzanji warned on Monday that the Region is “still in danger”.

By Holly Johnston 

 

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Iraqi authorities recorded 22 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, according to a statement from  the health ministry. 

Ten cases were documented in Basra province, five in the capital Baghdad, two in Wasit, two in Kirkuk, one in Sulaimani, one in Babil, and one in Diwanyah.

No deaths were recorded in Iraq in the past 24 hours. 

Forty-nine people have recovered from the virus, including 22 in Erbil, eight in Baghdad, seven in Basra, four in Sulaimani, three in Najaf, two in Karbala, one in Babil, one in Anbar, and one in Muthana. 

This brings the total number of the cases in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to 1,400. Of these, 78 have died and 766 have recovered.

By Lawk Ghafuri Continue Reading

Turkish Airlines has extended the suspension of its international flights until May 20 "in accordance with the decisions taken by the authorities of the Republic of Turkey and to protect the public health from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," according to a statement published by the airline's website. 

The airline initially cancelled its international flights scheduled until April 20. The airline cancelled its domestic flights until May 1, Tuesday's statement added.
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Iran has recorded 98 coronavirus-related deaths and 1,574 cases in the last 24 hours, a health ministry official announced early on Tuesday afternoon.

To date, 4,683 people have died and 74,877 have been confirmed to have contracted the virus, health ministry spokesperson Alireza Wahabzadeh said.

Almost 50,000 people have recovered so far. 
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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.

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