BAGHDAD: Iraq on Saturday registered nearly 4,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases recorded by the country to over 200,000.
According to the Iraqi health ministry, 201,050 Iraqis have contracted the virus, including 6,353 who have died, while 143,393 are declared to have recovered since the pandemic began.
The daily increases have hovered around 4,000 for more than a week, but authorities have declined to reimpose a strict lockdown that was lifted earlier this summer.
An overnight curfew remains in place, most restaurants are closed for dine-in customers and land crossings are officially shut.
But airports, supermarkets and take-out cafes are open, with varying degrees of social distancing or mask-wearing.
Many fear yet another spike in cases is imminent, as Shiite Muslims converge on the holy city of Karbala to commemorate the beginning of the mourning month of Muharram.
Muharram, which includes the memorial of the killing of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein in 680 AD, is typically marked by mass funeral processions and self-flagellation.
It usually sees thousands of pilgrims cross the border from neighboring Iran, which has suffered the largest mortality figure from COVID-19 infections in the Middle East, with more than 20,200 deaths officially registered.
Iraq’s hospitals have already been worn down by decades of conflict and poor investment, with shortages in medicines, hospital beds and even protective equipment for doctors.
Iraqi coronavirus cases top 200,000, say health ministry
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Iraqi coronavirus cases top 200,000, say health ministry
- The daily increases have hovered around 4,000 for more than a week
- An overnight curfew remains in place, most restaurants are closed for dine-in customers and land crossings are officially shut
GCC states ‘face reliance on Saudi Arabia for food imports’
- With 70 percent of food coming through Strait of Hormuz, analysts warn of inevitable shortages
DUBAI: Some Gulf states may have to rely on overland food deliveries from Saudi Arabia if the US-Israel-Iran war continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and restrict regional airspace, analysts warned on Thursday.
The region is up to 90 percent dependent on food imports, and price surges and scarcity of some goods are expected.
“With over 70 percent of GCC foodstuffs being imported through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf states face shortages if the war persists,” said Neil Quilliam of the Chatham House think tank.
“While GCC countries have taken steps to diversify suppliers and ensure sufficient stores to withstand disruption, this can only last several months. At this point, price increases and longer lead times will start to hit the markets.”
Commodities analyst Ishan Bhanu said: “The biggest immediate effect will be due to the blockade of Jebel Ali in Dubai, serving about 50 million people. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq effectively become landlocked and will depend on overland routes through Saudi Arabia.”
Bottlenecks are yet to show and the UAE has said its strategic reserves of vital goods cover four to six months of needs. It urged residents to report unjustified price increases through a dedicated hotline.
Supermarket staff throughout the Gulf said shelves remain largely stocked, though suppliers are taking longer to replenish certain products. Iran’s strikes on the Gulf since Saturday prompted panic buying in supermarkets, a dry run for what could come.
“Perception of risk matters, and even if stocks are sufficient now, public runs on supermarkets can spook the public,” Quilliam said.
