Iraq warns of spike in coronavirus cases

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq on Friday warned of a new wave of coronavirus amid a worrisome recent increase in the number of infections.

Spokesperson for the Iraqi health ministry Saif al-Badr told state media that the threat of COVID-19 continues, raising the possibility of the emergence of new mutated variants.

A total of 1,080 people tested positive for the virus in the week from May 30 to June 6 up from 745 confirmed cases a week earlier, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Coronavirus infections soared in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with Delta cases surging over the summer. The increased number of infections was later followed by the detection of the Omicron variant, with hundreds of people testing positive for the new mutant.

Iraq has reported 2,330,735 cases and 25,225 deaths since January 2020, including the Region, according to WHO numbers.

The country later saw a decline in infections, recording daily numbers as low as 40 cases and zero deaths a day with many assuming that the pandemic had ended.

Badr urged citizens to get vaccinated as a new wave of the virus is threatening Iraq and other global countries. Over 18 million vaccine doses have been administered in Iraq as of Monday, says WHO.

Iraq’s poor public health system struggled to cope with the coronavirus as the government imposed loose restrictions.

The Kurdistan Region’s endowment ministry decided in late January to allow people to hold wakes after nearly two years of ban.