Coronavirus: Iraq confirms 5 more cases across 4 provinces

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s health ministry on Tuesday confirmed five more cases of the coronavirus, including one in Baghdad, two in Wasit, one in Najaf, and the first case recorded in Karbala. 

The new cases bring the total number of infected individuals in Iraq to 32. 

“They were under the supervision of the Ministry of Health staff and their samples were taken for laboratory tests,” the ministry said in a statement on Facebook. 

“Later on, it was found that the results of their tests are positive and they are currently in private rooms inside the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment to follow up their health status.”

Four cases were confirmed in Sulaimani province on Sunday evening – the first recorded cases in the Kurdistan Region.

The novel coronavirus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019. It has since spread to at least 56 countries and territories and has infected at least 83,853 people worldwide, killing 2,873. 

Particular hotspots outside China include South Korea, Japan, Iran, and Italy. 

Iraq’s first confirmed case of the virus was an Iranian student studying at a religious school in the holy Shiite city of Najaf.

Several other cases were confirmed in the disputed province of Kirkuk. The patients had also recently returned from Iran. 

Iraq has taken a number of measures to prevent the further spread of the virus, including closing its borders with Iran, banning the entry of Iranian nationals, and shutting down schools and universities. 

The country is going through a sensitive time as anti-government protests continue and attempts to build a new government stall. Iraq’s caretaker government has limited financial means to fight the virus.

This is a developing story…