CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE; ADDS CASES IN SAUDI ARABIA, IRAQ
By Safiye Karabacak, Esat Firat and Haydar Karaalp
ISTANBUL / JERUSALEM / BAGHDAD (AA) - Health authorities in six Arab countries confirmed new cases and deaths from the coronavirus Thursday.
Lebanon reported 35 new cases of the virus known as COVID-19, bringing the number to 368.
Six patients died, while 20 recovered, its health ministry said in a statement.
Thirteen additional cases were registered in Kuwait, taking to 208 the number of COVID-19 infections, according to a health ministry spokesman.
Oman's Health Ministry said 10 new cases were reported in the Gulf country, bringing total infections to 109. Twenty-three patients treated for the virus have been discharged from hospitals.
Iraqi health officials reported 36 deaths from the virus, along with 382 infections.
The number of cases rose to 86 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with 13 additional cases detected Thursday, Palestine official news agency WAFA quoted government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
Palestine reported its first death from the virus Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia announced a third death and 112 new cases, bringing the total number diagnosed to 1,012.
After first appearing in Wuhan, China, in December, the virus has spread to at least 175 countries and territories, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.
The data shows more than 491,600 cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll above 22,000 and more than 118,000 recoveries.
* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz