Iran, Turkey, Algeria see new record daily COVID-19 infections amid pandemic resurgence

CAIRO - Amid continuing resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East, Iran recorded its highest daily infections with 13,721 new cases on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Turkey and Algeria also broke new records in daily COVID-19 cases.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Iran surged to 880,542, while the death toll climbed by 483 to 45,738, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

A total of 617,715 people in Iran have recovered from the disease, while 5,824 others remained in intensive care units, Lari added.

Turkey reported a new record high of 7,381 daily infections, pushing the total confirmed cases in the country to 460,916, while the death toll rose by 161 to 12,672 and the tally of recoveries increased by 3,678 to 381,569.

Turkey is preparing to hire 12,000 new health workers amid the sharp increase of the daily COVID-19 cases, including 7,000 nurses, 1,700 midwives, 2,864 health technicians and other personnel in 14 fields, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on Tuesday.

Algeria recorded 1,133 new daily COVID-19 infections, the highest number in the country since the pandemic outbreak in late February, bringing the total COVID-19 cases in the country to 77,000.

It also reported 15 more deaths and 649 new recoveries, taking the death toll in Algeria to 2,309 and the total recoveries to 50,070.

In Iraq, the health ministry reported 2,292 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total nationwide infections to 539,749.

The ministry reported 35 new deaths from coronavirus, bringing the death toll in Iraq to 12,031, the highest among Arab countries. It also reported 2,130 more recovered cases, raising the total recoveries in Iraq to 469,784.

Israel's Ministry of Health reported 798 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the tally to 330,796. The number of death cases rose by 10 to 2,821, while the overall recoveries surged by 416 to 319,017.

Earlier on Tuesday, the gradual reopening of schools in Israel continued, with the resumption of the 5th and 6th grade classes in the cities and towns with low COVID-19 morbidity.

Saudi Arabia reported 252 new coronavirus cases and 15 more fatalities from the virus, raising the total infections in the kingdom to 355,741 and the death toll to 5,811. The tally of recoveries increased by 495 to 344,311.

Morocco confirmed 3,999 new COVID-19 cases and 73 more deaths, taking the tally of infections in the country to 331,527 and the death toll to 5,469. The tally of recoveries rose by 4,118 to 279,276.

Jordan announced 4,586 new coronavirus infections and 78 more deaths on Tuesday, pushing the tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 192,996 and the total deaths from the disease to 2,380. The total number of recoveries rose by 5,419 to 125,433.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed 1,310 new COVID-19 cases and five more deaths, bringing the total infections in the UAE to 161,365 and the total death count to 559. The number of recoveries rose by 683 to 150,261.

Kuwait reported 402 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 140,795 and the death toll to 870 in the country.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced the recovery of 559 more patients, taking the total recoveries in the country to 133,407.

The Omani Health Ministry announced 223 new COVID-19 infections and five more deaths, raising the total confirmed cases in the Sultanate to 122,579 and the death toll to 1,391.

Qatar reported 227 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 137,642.

The tally of recoveries rose by 212 to 134,698, while the total fatalities remained unchanged at 236 for the third day running, according to the Qatari Health Ministry.

Lebanon recorded 1,188 new COVID-19 cases and 23 more deaths from the virus, taking the total infections in the kingdom to 118,705 and the death toll to 934. The overall recoveries in Lebanon increased by 1,476 to 70,555.

Tunisia confirmed 1,017 new coronavirus infections and 73 more deaths, bringing its total COVID-19 cases to 90,213 and its death toll to 2,935. Its total recoveries increased by 1,457 to 65,303.

Palestine reported 1,946 new COVID-19 cases and 17 more deaths from the virus, raising the total infections in the Palestinian territories to 87,838 and the death toll to 740.