BAGHDAD, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday 4,846 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 740,472.
The new cases included 1,432 in the capital Baghdad, 896 in Basra, 575 in Najaf, 260 in Wasit, 215 in Dhi Qar, and 213 in Qadisiyah, the ministry said in a statement.
It also reported 27 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 13,645, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed by 3,135 to 671,288.
A total of 7,235,035 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February 2020, with 40,791 done during the day.
In a separate statement, the ministry warned of the seriousness of the current epidemiological situation, which could threaten the Iraqi health system if the citizens' non-compliance with health-protective measures continues.
"The health teams noticed that most people do not adhere to health protective measures and the instructions of the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, despite their continuous calls for wearing masks and maintaining social distancing," the statement said.
On Monday, the Iraqi authorities decided to extend the full curfew for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and a partial curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. for the rest of the week, starting from March 9 until March 22.
The decision was based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, as the epidemiological situation indicates a continued increase in COVID-19 infections.
On March 2, Iraq received a shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Chinese government to help the country combat the pandemic.
Iraq has taken a series of measures to curb the recent rise in infections after the health ministry announced on Feb. 15 the detection of a new strain characterized by faster transmission and a higher level of severity.
The Iraqi National Board for Selection of Drugs has approved the emergency use of China's Sinopharm and Britain's AstraZeneca vaccines to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.