Coronavirus tally soars in Arab countries

By Mohammed Yahya Ahmad Mohammed, Safiye Karabacak, Ekrem Biceroglu and Ali Semerci

ISTANBUL/RABAT/ AMMAN (AA) - Health authorities in Algeria, Palestine, Morocco and Jordan registered more coronavirus cases and deaths Wednesday.

- Jordan

At least 81 deaths and 5,419 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours, according to officials.

The death toll reached 1,467 and the number of cases climbed to 126,401, including 9,988 recoveries.

- Morocco

At least 81 fatalities brought the death toll to 4,506, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

A total of 5,461 infections were also reported, bringing that number to 270,626, while 221,743 patients have recovered from the virus.

- Palestine

Officials reported five deaths and 643 infections in the past 24 hours.

Infections jumped to 72,144, including 612 deaths and 63,744 recoveries.

- Algeria

At least 16 deaths and 811 infections were reported in the past 24 hours, according to health authorities.

The death toll stands at 2,093 and cases climbed to 64,257, including 42,980 recoveries.

Since originating in China last December, the pandemic has claimed nearly 1.3 million lives in 190 countries and regions.

More than 51.8 million cases have been reported worldwide, while an excess of 33.74 million patients have recovered, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz