UPDATE 2 - Coronavirus cases rise in several Arab countries

UPDATES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; ADDS FIGURES FROM PALESTINE, SAUDI ARABIA, UAE, IRAQ, ALGERIA

By Ali Semerci, Serdar Bitmez and Safiye Karabacak

ISTANBUL/RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Health authorities in several Arab countries reported new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

In Kuwait, the Health Ministry confirmed 112 new cases, raising the total to 855, including 105 recoveries. The country has only reported one death from COVID-19 so far.

Oman's Health Ministry confirmed 48 cases, bringing the total to 419. Two COVID-19 patients have died in the country to date, while 72 have recovered.

The death toll from the virus rose 69 in Iraq after health authorities reported four new deaths, the country’s Health Ministry said in a statement.

The authorities reported 80 new cases, taking the total number to 1,202, while a total of 452 Iraqi citizens have recovered the virus, it added.

In Palestine, the Health Ministry said two new coronavirus cases raised the total to 263.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a total of 500 Palestinians residing in different countries, including 349 in the U.S., have been infected with the virus, while 23 Palestinian nationals died of the pandemic.

Morocco’s Health Ministry reported one fatality, raising the death toll to 91, while 58 new cases brought the total to 1,242, including 97 recoveries.

In Qatar, 153 more people tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total to 2,210. The country’s death toll remains at six, but recoveries rose by 28 to 178.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed 7 new cases, pushing the total to 575, while the death toll remains at 19.

Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry confirmed 137 cases, bringing the total to 2,932.

A total of 41 people have died of the virus in the country, while 631 recoveries reported so far.

In the United Arab Emirates, the Health Ministry confirmed 300 new cases, raising the total to 2,659, including 239 recoveries. The country has reported 12 deaths from COVID-19 so far.

The Algerian Health Ministry reported 12 more deaths in last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 205.

The ministry confirmed 104 new cases, raising the total to 1,572, including 237 recoveries.

The virus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions since emerging in China last December.

More than 1.47 million cases have been reported worldwide, with nearly 87,000 deaths, and over 317,300 recoveries, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

* Bassel Ibrahim and Zehra Nur Duz contributed to this report from Ankara.