UPDATE - Coronavirus continues to spread in Arab countries

UPDATES WITH FIGURES BY NEW COUNTRIES, REVISES DECK, LEDE

By Safiye Karabacak, Gulsen Topcu and Serdar Bitmez

ISTANBUL/RABAT/CAIRO (AA) - Health authorities in several Arab countries confirmed new cases and deaths from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday.

In Qatar, the Health Ministry said that over the past 24 hours, the number of infections rose to 1,832 after 228 new cases were confirmed while 131 patients recovered.

In Tunisia, the number of confirmed cases climbed to 596 with another 22 cases recorded.

Health authorities in war-battered Libya recorded one new coronavirus case, raising the total to 19.

In Egypt, seven more deaths were reported, bringing the total to 85.

Another 149 cases were also recorded, bringing the total to 1,322, while 259 people recovered from the virus.

In Palestine, the Health Ministry said that six more people tested positive for the virus, bringing the number of total infections to 260.

In Morocco, the death toll climbed to 83 after three more deaths were recorded, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

The number of confirmed cases in the country rose to 1,141, while recoveries reached 88, according to the ministry.

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry recorded 147 new cases, bringing the total to 2,752.

Oman’s Health Ministry confirmed 40 new cases for a current total of 371.

In Kuwait, the Health Ministry said that over the last 24 hours, the number of infections rose to 743 after 78 new cases were confirmed.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the COVID-19 virus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

More than 1.4 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the global death toll topping 76,400 and over 292,400 recoveries.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan and Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara