Virus claims 57 more lives in Iraq, 36 in Saudi Arabia

By Mohammed Yahya Ahmad Mohammed and Ali Semerci

ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD (AA) – Health authorities in Iraq and Saudi Arabia confirmed more fatalities and infections related to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.

The Iraqi Health Ministry said 57 people died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, pushing the nationwide death toll to 5,588.

The virus has also sickened 3,441 more people, bringing the total infections to 160,436, including 114,541 recoveries.

In Saudi Arabia, the Health Ministry recorded 36 more deaths and 1,569 new cases over the past day.

The kingdom’s count now stands at 3,269 deaths and 293,037 infections as well as 257,269 recoveries.

Since originating in China last December, the pandemic has claimed nearly 743,600 lives in 188 countries and regions.

More than 20.38 million cases have been reported worldwide, while over 12.61 million patients have recovered so far, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz