UPDATE 3 - Coronavirus cases rise in 13 Arab countries

UPDATES MOROCCO, TUNISIA FIGURES, ADD NUMBERS FROM ALGERIA, JORDAN, OMAN, IRAQ, SUDAN, EGYPT; CHANGES HEADLINE

By Muhammed Semiz

ANKARA (AA) - Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Algeria, Jordan, Oman, Iraq, Sudan and Egypt confirmed new cases and deaths from the novel coronavirus on Thursday.

The death toll in Morocco has risen to 97 after four more fatalities were confirmed during the past 24 hours, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

The ministry said 99 new cases have raised the total number of COVID-19 cases to 1,374, while 109 people have recovered so far.

Kuwait’s Health Ministry reported 55 new cases on Thursday, taking the total to 910, including 111 recoveries.

“The number of patients in intensive care is now at 22. Eight of them are in critical condition, while the rest are stable,” the ministry said in a statement.

In Qatar, 166 more people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,376. The country’s death toll remains at six, while recoveries rose by 28 to 206.

“Some of the new cases have recently returned from countries that have high infection rates. Other cases include people who came into contact with the returnees and migrant workers,” the country’s Health Ministry said in a statement.

It added that 43,144 people have been tested in Qatar so far.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed seven new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, pushing the total to 582, while the death toll remains at 19.

The death toll in Tunisia has risen to 25 after two more fatalities over the past 24 hours, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The ministry reported 15 new cases on Thursday, taking the total to 643, including 111 recoveries.

The Saudi Health Ministry recorded three deaths, taking the toll to 44. As many as 355 fresh cases were also reported over the last 24 hours, bringing the tally to 3,287, including 666 recoveries.

In Mauritania, the Health Ministry confirmed a new case, pushing the total to seven. The ministry also reported two recoveries and one death.

The Algerian Health Ministry said the death toll from the virus has climbed to 235 as 30 new fatalities were recorded, marking the highest deaths in 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the country.

Another 94 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Algeria, pushing the total to 1,666, including 374 recoveries.

Jordan reported its seventh coronavirus death and 14 fresh cases, raising the total to 372.

In Oman, the Health Ministry reported the third coronavirus death and 38 new cases, pushing the total to 457 including 72 recoveries.

The Iraqi Health Ministry confirmed 30 more cases, raising the total to 1,232, including 69 deaths and 496 recoveries.

The Sudanese Health Ministry recorded another case, bringing the total to 15 including one death.

In Egypt, the Health Ministry put the death toll from the virus at 118 after recording 15 more deaths, while 139 fresh cases were confirmed, raising the total to 1,699.

Since appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.

More than 1.5 million cases have now been reported worldwide, with the death toll close to 95,000, and over 346,000 recoveries.

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