By Mohamed Majed
ANKARA (AA) - Health authorities in five Arab countries confirmed more deaths and infections due to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, as the Middle East struggles to stem the spread of the pandemic.
Iraq's Health Ministry said 21 more people died due to the virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 256.
A ministry statement said the country's infections also rose to 8,168 after 781 new cases were registered. It said a total of 4,095 patients have so far recovered.
In Algeria, the Health Ministry confirmed six new deaths, 12 more virus cases and 151 recoveries over the past 24 hours.
The ministry said today's numbers have brought the death toll in the country to 673, the total number of infections to 9,733, and recoveries to 6,218.
In Morocco, the Health Ministry confirmed 56 new virus cases, pushing the total infections to 7,922. The ministry has confirmed a total of 206 deaths from the disease.
The Palestinian Health Ministry, meanwhile, said the total number of cases in Gaza Strip rose to 66 after five new cases were registered.
In Jordan, the Health Ministry reported two fresh cases, bringing the total number to 757.
The ministry said that the death toll remains at nine, while 560 patients have recovered so far.
The pandemic has killed more than 382,400 people worldwide, with more than 6.44 million confirmed cases, while recoveries surpassed 2.76 million, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.
*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara