BAGHDAD: Iraq recorded a new high of 5,663 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, health officials said, nearly two weeks since the visit of Pope Francis to the country.
The number of Iraqis infected since the Covid-19 pandemic began now stands at over 768,000 including 13,827 deaths, with 33 of those in the past 24 hours, according to health ministry figures Wednesday.
Health officials carry out some 40,000 tests every day, in a population of 40 million people.
Despite the rise, the government said it was easing restrictions aimed to stem the spread of coronavirus, including partially lifting a curfew.
Pope Francis toured Iraq from March 5-8, celebrating prayers with crowds of faithful, including in a stadium filled with thousands of worshippers in Irbil.
As is common across Iraq, few among the crowds wore masks — and the recent introduction of a fine has made little difference to that.
Numbers of cases in Iraq have fluctuated over the months, peaking in September at around 5,000 new cases per day, dropping to around 800 cases a day in December, then rising in late February to over 4,000.
Iraq suffers from a chronic shortages of drugs and medical care, and those patients who can often prefer to source oxygen tanks for treatment at home, rather than go to overcrowded and run-down hospitals.
Baghdad has received only 50,000 vaccines, China’s Sinopharm jab.
While the government boasts of plans to purchase 16 million doses, parliament has still not voted on the 2021 budget.
Iraq records new surge in COVID-19 cases
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Iraq records new surge in COVID-19 cases
- Despite the rise, the government said it was easing restrictions aimed to stem the spread of coronavirus, including partially lifting a curfew
- Health officials carry out some 40,000 tests every day, in a population of 40 million people
Ceasefire with Kurdish-led force extended for another 15 days, Syrian army says
- The defense ministry said the extension was in support of an operation by US forces to transfer accused Daesh militants to Iraq
- The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces confirmed the ceasefire extension
RAQQA, Syria: Hours after the expiration of a four-day truce between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led fighters Saturday, Syria’s defense ministry announced the ceasefire had been extended by another 15 days.
The defense ministry said in a statement that the extension was in support of an operation by US forces to transfer accused Daesh militants who had been held in prisons in northeastern Syria to detention centers in Iraq.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces confirmed the ceasefire extension.
“Our forces affirm their commitment to the agreement and their dedication to respecting it, which contributes to de-escalation, the protection of civilians, and the creation of the necessary conditions for stability,” the group said in a statement.
Over the past three weeks, there have been intense clashes between government forces and the SDF, in which the SDF lost large parts of the area they once controlled.
Earlier in the day, the Kurdish-led force called on the international community to prevent any escalation.
The end of the truce came as government forces have been sending reinforcements to Syria’s northeast.
Syria’s interim government signed an agreement last March with the SDF for it to hand over territory and to eventually merge its fighters with government forces. In early January, a new round of talks failed to make progress over the merger, leading to renewed fighting between the two sides.
A new version of the accord was signed last weekend, and a four-day ceasefire was declared Tuesday. Part of the new deal is that SDF members will have to merge into the army and police forces as individuals.
The SDF said in a statement Saturday that military buildups and logistical movements by government forces have been observed, “clearly indicating an intent to escalate and push the region toward a new confrontation.” The SDF said it will continue to abide by the truce.
On Saturday, state TV said authorities on Saturday released 126 boys under the age of 18 who were held at the Al-Aqtan prison near the northern city of Raqqa that was taken by government forces Friday. The teenagers were taken to the city of Raqqa where they were handed over to their families, the TV station said.
The prison is also home to some of the 9,000 members of the Daesh group who are held in northeastern Syria. Most of them remain held in jails run by the SDF. Government forces have so far taken control of two prisons while the rest are still run by the SDF.
Earlier this week, the US military said that some 7,000 Daesh detainees will be transferred to detention centers in neighboring Iraq.
On Wednesday, the US military said that 150 prisoners have been taken to Iraq.
