Iraq reports 76 new COVID-19 cases, 2,679 in total
BAGHDAD, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Saturday confirmed 76 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 2,679.
The new cases were recorded after 1,979 test kits were used across the country during the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement.
The new cases included 54 in the capital Baghdad, 17 in Basra, two in Anbar and one each in Maysan, Salahudin and Wasit, the statement said.
So far, up to 107 people have died from the disease in Iraq, while 1,702 have recovered, it added.
Meanwhile, lawmaker Jawad al-Musawi, a member of the parliamentary crisis committee to follow up the outbreak of coronavirus, said in a statement that the committee is demanding re-imposing the full curfew for 14 days to contain the disease.
"People did not abide by the health authorities and we must return to the complete curfew for 14 days during the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan and the days of Eid al-Fitr," al-Musawi said.
Abdul Ghani al-Saadi, head of al-Risafa Health Department in eastern Baghdad, said in a separate statement that "according to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the past days, there may be an urgent need to restore the full curfew and district quarantine."
However, the parliamentary committee's suggestion can only take effect if the government crisis committee headed by the health minister first issues a recommendation to the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety.
Then, the higher committee headed by the prime minister in turn can issue the decision to reimpose a complete curfew in the country.
Iraq has been taking measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, including a nationwide curfew.
In April, the Iraqi authorities decided to partially lift the curfew from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. between April 21 and May 22 except for Friday and Saturday, which covers most of the holy month of Ramadan starting from April 24.
On April 26, a Chinese team of medical experts left Iraq after 50-day stay to support the Iraqi health system to contain the pandemic.
China has also donated medical aid to Iraq to combat the coronavirus outbreak. On March 7, China sent the first batch of medical aid to Iraq, followed by the second batch on April 8, and the third on April 20.