CAIRO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran's death toll from COVID-19 approached 2,000 after 122 new deaths were reported on Tuesday; Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported the first death from the novel coronavirus.
The death toll in Iran surged to 1,934, while the total number of coronavirus infections rose to 24,811 after 1,762 news cases were reported. Of all the reported cases, 8,913 have recovered.
The ground force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) will launch a "biological defense" exercise and disinfection operations across the country on Wednesday amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
All medical centers of the IRGC ground force, including field hospitals, will be used at full capacity during the exercise, IRGC ground force commander Mohammad Pakpour said.
Saudi Arabia registered on Tuesday the first death from COVID-19, which was a 51-year-old Afghani resident in Medina who died on Monday night.
The Saudi Health Ministry also announced 205 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the kingdom to 767, of whom 28 have recovered.
Israel reported two new deaths from the coronavirus on Tuesday, including a 67-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man. The total number of confirmed cases in Israel climbed to 1,930, after 488 new cases were reported, which was the biggest single-day rise in the country so far.
Turkey's death toll from the COVID-19 rose to 44 after seven more patients died on Tuesday, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted. Turkey's total number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased to 1,872, after 343 new cases were detected.
Iraqi Health Ministry confirmed four more deaths from the virus and 50 new cases on infections, bringing the total number of the infected to 316.
The United Arab Emirates recorded 50 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 248.
Lebanon reported 37 new cases, as the total number of the confirmed cases reached 304. Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that Lebanon is seeking foreign aid to fight COVID-19.
Egypt announced 36 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 402. Meanwhile, one more death from the disease was reported, as the total death toll rose to 20. The total number of the cured in Egypt rose to 80, after 12 patients left hospitals on Tuesday.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced a nationwide partial curfew (from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.) as part of the efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus. All commercial centers and shops will be closed from 5 p.m. until 6 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and closed all day on Friday and Saturday, he said.
Algeria said the death toll from COVID-19 rose to 19 after two new deaths were reported. The total number of the infected soared to 264, after 34 new cases were confirmed Tuesday, when the country started a curfew in the capital Algiers and a 10-day lockdown in neighboring province Blida.
Moroccan Health Ministry confirmed 27 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 170, of whom five have died and six have recovered.
Tunisia reported 25 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 114. Three of the patients have died, while the first confirmed case has recovered.
Qatar reported 25 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 526, of whom 41 have recovered.
The Omani Ministry of Health reported 18 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 84. Oman decided to suspend all international and domestic flights starting from March 29, excluding the trips to and from Musandam governorate and air cargo flights.
Kuwait reported two new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 191. The Health Ministry said that the new cases included a Philipino and an Indian.
In Khartoum, the Sudanese government announced the third COVID-19 case, who was a Sudanese citizen coming from an Arab country.
The Syrian government ordered to impose a partial curfew, starting from Wednesday, in all Syrian provinces. This came one day after the Syrian government declared the first coronavirus case in the country.
