Coronavirus count rises in five Arab states

ANKARA (AA) – Five Arab countries confirmed new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, as the Middle East struggles to combat the pandemic.

Oman said 712 new cases were registered over the past 24 hours, taking the total infections to 18,198, according to the Health Ministry.

The Gulf country has so far confirmed 83 deaths from the disease.

In Kuwait, the Health Ministry said four people had died from COVID-19, while 630 new infections were recorded.

Kuwait's toll now stands at 33,140 cases, including 273 deaths, and 22,162 recoveries.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also reported two more fatalities from the disease, taking the nationwide death toll to 283.

According to a statement by the UAE Health Ministry, 528 new infections and 465 recoveries were registered, pushing the figure to 39,904 and 22,740 respectively.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Morocco reported 106 new virus cases, bringing the figure to 8,408.

Morocco's death toll from the disease now stands at 208 and 7,423 recoveries.

In Palestine, the Health Ministry said total infections rose to 656 after two people had tested positive for the virus in the West Bank.

So far, five people died from the disease in the Palestinian territories.

Since originating in China last December, the pandemic has claimed almost 407,000 lives in 188 countries and regions. The US, Brazil and Russia are currently the world’s worst-hit countries.

Some 7.12 million cases have been reported worldwide, while nearly 3.3 million patients have recovered so far, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara