Virus case tally surges in Kuwait, Qatar

ANKARA (AA) – Kuwait registered four more deaths from the novel coronavirus on Sunday, while Qatar confirmed fresh infections from the disease.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry said the nationwide death toll rose to 348 after four patients died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours.

A ministry statement said 551 new cases were recorded, taking the total infections to 44,942, while 908 people recovered, pushing the recoveries to 35,730.

In Qatar, the Health Ministry said the total infections rose to 94,413 after 750 additional cases were recorded.

The ministry said 1,477 people recovered from the illness, bringing the total recoveries in the Gulf state to 78,702.

Since originating in China last December, the pandemic has claimed over 499,300 lives in 188 countries and regions.

More than 10.1 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 5 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The US, Brazil, Russia, and India are currently the worst-hit countries in the world.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara