Coronavirus cases, deaths rise in Arab countries

By Zeynep Hilal Karyagdi

ISTANBUL (AA) - The death toll and number of cases from the novel coronavirus continued to rise Friday in a number of Arab countries as the Middle East struggles to contain its spread.

- Iraq

The death toll rose to 94 with one additional fatality in the past 24 hours, according to health officials. The number of cases rose by 68 to 2,153, while the number of recoveries rose to 1,414.

- Bahrain

The total number of cases stands at 3,169 after 129 patients testing positive for the virus. The death toll is at eight, while the number of recoveries reached 1,533.

- Egypt

Egypt's Health Ministry confirmed 14 fatalities from COVID-19, bringing the death toll there to 406.

The number of cases rose to 5,895 with an additional 358 recorded.

- Algeria

Officials said the number of cases rose to 4,156 as 148 patients tested positive for the virus.

The death toll climbed to 453 with seven more fatalities, while 1,821 patients have recovered.

- Morocco

Health officials said deaths there reached 171, with one additional fatality.

The Health Ministry said cases increased to 4,569, with 146 new cases.

Cases of the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, have been reported in 187 countries and regions since the virus emerged in Wuhan, China last December, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas.

More than 3.3 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll approaching 238,000 and more than 1 million recoveries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin and Davut Demircan