UPDATE - COVID-19 cases rise in several Arab countries

REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE, ADDS FIGURES FROM ALGERIA, IRAQ, PALESTINE

By Abderrazak Boulkemh and Safiye Karabacak

MUSCAT, OmanMANAMA, BahrainKUWAIT City, KuwaitISTANBUL (AA) - Health authorities in Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria and Iraq reported fresh cases and deaths Wednesday from the novel coronavirus.

In Oman, the Health Ministry announced 106 new cases, bringing the total to 1,614. The death toll in the country has now reached eight with 288 recoveries.

In Bahrain, the Health Ministry reported 20 new cases, bringing the total to 1,973. Seven people have died so far while 784 people have recovered, it said in a statement.

Morocco’s Health Ministry in its daily briefing confirmed 168 new cases for a total of 3,377. Five patients have recovered in the past 24 hours, bringing total recoveries to 398. The statement further said that the death toll had reached 149 after four more fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours.

Kuwait’s Health Ministry reported 168 new cases, bringing the total to 2,248. The ministry said the number of fatalities had risen to 13 after one death was recorded over the past 24 hours.

In Lebanon, the death toll reached 22 following one new fatality. Five more cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 682.

In Algeria, the Health Ministry announced 99 new infections, bringing the total number of cases to 2,910. The country’s death toll has now reached 402 after 10 more fatalities were recorded.

In Iraq, the Health Ministry said 29 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 1,631. So far, 83 people have died while 1,146 have recovered.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that a total of 1,022 Palestinians residing in various countries have been infected with the virus while four Palestinian nationals living abroad had died.

The total number infections in Palestine stands at 449 according to the country’s Health Ministry.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.

More than 2.62 million cases have been confirmed worldwide and nearly 183,000 deaths with over 709,000 recoveries.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz. Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara