Just minutes after the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health ministry said zero new COVID-19 cases had been recorded anywhere in the Kurdistan Region in the past 24 hours, health minister Saman Barzanji confirmed a new case of the virus in Sulaimani. 

“As part of continued testing and searching for suspected cases, a new individual diagnosed with the novel coronavirus was identified in Sulaimani province,” Barzanji said in a Facebook post. 

“The infected individual is a 32-year-old man from Sulaimani city. He has contracted the virus from an infected individual.”

With a total of 138 cases, Sulaimani province has the second highest number of confirmed infections after Erbil. Of this number, 126 have recovered and four have died. As of Wednesday night, the province has just eight active cases.

The total number of cases across the Kurdistan Region now stands at 367, of which 324 have recovered and five have died. The Region as a whole has 38 active cases.

By Zhelwan Z. Wali 

 

Iraq has recorded 75 new cases of COVID-19, two deaths, and 27 recoveries over the past 24 hours, according to a statement from the health ministry.

The two deaths were recorded in the capital Baghdad.

The national total, including the Kurdistan Region, now stands at 2,003. Of this number, 92 have died and 1,346 have recovered.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health ministry earlier said there had been zero new cases in Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, or Halabja over the past 24 hours.

However, just minutes after making the announcement, the KRG health minister Saman Barzanji announced a new case has emerged in Sulaimani.

By Zhelwan Z. Wali 

 

Turkey has recorded 89 coronavirus deaths and 2,936 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to health minister Fahrettin Koca. 

In the same period, another 5,231 patients were discharged after recovering from the pandemic, Koca said in a tweet. 

The country has confirmed 117,589 cases since the outbreak began. Of this number, 3,081 have died and 44,022 have recovered.

There are now 70,486 active cases, of which 831 are on ventilators.

Turkey has the seventh highest number of infections in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The United States is the worst hit with more than a million confirmed cases.

By Zhelwan Z. Wali 

 

No new coronavirus cases have been detected anywhere in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in the past 24 hours, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health ministry said Wednesday evening.

“In the past 24 hours, 1,612 tests to identify coronavirus cases were conducted in the Kurdistan Region, including 795 in Erbil, 502 in Sulaimani, 300 in Duhok, and 15 in Raparin. No cases were recorded,” the health ministry said in a statement.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Kurdistan Region, the government has put 9,372 people in quarantine, including those who have recently returned from abroad and those who have come into contact with infected individuals.

Just 1,528 of them remain in quarantine, including 436 in Erbil, 225 in Sulaimani, 826 in Duhok, and 41 in Raparin.

The total number of cases across the Kurdistan Region now stands at 366, of which 324 have recovered and five have died. The Region as a whole has 37 active cases as of Wednesday evening. 

By Zhelwan Z. Wali 

 

Erbil Province Operations Room dismissed rumors on Wednesday that officials plan to re-impose tough curfew measures, despite a recent rise in new coronavirus cases since the lockdown was eased last week. 

Rumors have recently circulated suggesting provincial officials plan to impose a strict three-day lockdown to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. 

“There is no decision to impose stricter curfew measures. We categorically reject all the rumors that we will enforce a lockdown on all markets for 72 hours,” Hemin Qadir, deputy governor of Erbil, told Rudaw.

Erbil had gone almost two weeks without any new cases, prompting authorities to relax lockdown measures in time for the start of Ramadan. New cases soon began to emerge, however.

“We are in the process of self-protection. All we are doing is making sure [existing] health instructions are not violated,” Qadir added.

The deputy governor urged shoppers to avoid crowds and business holders to limit the number of patrons in their stores at any one time, otherwise “we will be forced to re-impose earlier tough curfew measures.” 

Erbil province is the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Kurdistan Region with 188 cases.

Of this number, 161 have recovered and one has died. The capital now has just 26 active cases.

The total number of cases across the Kurdistan Region now stands at 366, of which 324 have recovered and five have died. The Region as a whole has 37 active cases as of Wednesday evening.

 

Syria's COVID-19 night curfew has been extended, officials announced on Wednesday, despite the easing of lockdown measures allowing businesses and markets to reopen. 

All "popular markets" and "commercial industrial enterprises and services firms" will be allowed to open from 8am to 5pm, according to a government statement quoted by Reuters.

A curfew from 6pm-6am was initially imposed last month to curb the spread of the virus, which has so far claimed 3 lives in Syria, according to official figures. 

The total number of cases currently stands at 43.

International organizations and officials have warned that the virus could devestate the country, which lacks a robust health system after a decade of civil war. 

The United Nations last month called for a "total ceasefire" in order to fight the virus, as well as the release of prisoners in detention facilities across the country. 

 

Ankara has brought home some 60,000 nationals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, state media reported on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency (AA), 390 nationals returned to Turkey on Tuesday from Kenya, Tanzania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia after being stranded abroad.

Citizens have been flown back from over 60 countries, the agency added.

Global travel has largely ground to a halt as COVID-19 has taken hold in various countries. Turkey suspended all international flights on March 27 in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

Ankara recorded 2,392 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday in addition to 92 deaths and 5,018 recoveries, according to a tweet from Turkish health minister Fahrettin Koca.

Turkey has confirmed 114,653 cases of the virus so far. Of this, 2,992 have died and 38,809 have recovered.

Turkish authorities have taken several measures to curb the spread of the pandemic, including the closure of schools and border crossings.

Ankara has also imposed weekend lockdowns in 31 cities, to continue this weekend from Friday to Monday.

People are allowed to buy their essentials from 9am to 2pm on Friday but all shops will close on Saturday and Sunday, according to a decree by the interior minister published in the early hours of Wednesday.

By Karwan Faidhi Dri

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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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