CAIRO, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from COVID-19 in Turkey approached 3,000 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a Chinese team of medical experts started working with their Kuwaiti counterparts to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus in Turkey, the worst-hit country in the Middle East, surged to 2,992 after 92 more deaths were reported, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
Turkey's total confirmed COVID-19 infections climbed to 114,653, after 2,392 new cases were added, Koca tweeted.
A state hospital in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul opened a new center at the Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine to examine whether the virus causes any damage to the patient's organs after recovery.
Turkey's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines announced the extension of a halt to all its domestic and international flights until May 28 over COVID-19 concerns.
In Iran, with the highest number of deaths from the virus in the region, the death toll soared to 5,877 after 71 new fatalities were added. The Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education reported 1,112 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 92,584.
Trade at the Iranian borders has mostly resumed amid the continued slowdown in the coronavirus infections over the past month.
The exchange of goods along Iran's land borders with Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as its maritime borders with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, has reopened. Only the Iranian border with Turkmenistan remains closed.
Saudi Arabia's coronavirus cases climbed to 20,077 on Tuesday after 1,266 new infections were confirmed. Eight new fatalities were reported in the kingdom, raising the death toll to 152.
In Israel, the total number of coronavirus cases rose by 173 to 15,728, while the death toll surged to 210 after six new deaths were reported, the state's Ministry of Health said.
The 72nd Independence Day was celebrated in Israel late Tuesday under tightened restrictions. A digital ceremony was held, with a video of the ceremony at the Mount Herzl in Jerusalem being broadcast on TV channels and the internet, as public celebrations and street parties were banned.
In Kuwait, a team of eight Chinese medical experts who arrived in the country on Monday night, started working with their Kuwaiti counterparts to help the Arab country fight the pandemic.
During their stay in Kuwait, they will exchange experience with Kuwaiti counterparts and medical staff in the prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
Kuwait reported 152 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death, bringing the total infections to 3,440 and the death toll to 23.
Qatar's health ministry announced 677 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total number to 11,921, which includes 68 recoveries and 10 deaths.
The UAE announced 541 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of the confirmed cases to 11,380. The death toll rose by seven to 89.
Egypt witnessed a record of daily fatalities of COVID-19 with 22 new deaths confirmed on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 359. The total number of infections rose to 5,042 after 260 cases were added.
In Morocco, 132 new coronavirus cases were reported, bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 4,252. So far 165 people have died while 778 others have recovered from the virus.
The General Directorate for Prisons in Morocco announced that 303 new COVID-19 cases were reported at the prison of Ouarzazate in central Morocco. They included 241 detainees and 62 prison officials.
In Algeria, the total number of coronavirus infections rose to 3,649, after 132 new cases were confirmed. The death toll climbed to 437 after five new fatalities were added.
Algerian Education Ministry said all schools will be closed for an additional 15 days until May 14 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The Omani health ministry announced 82 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 2,131.
Iraq's Health Ministry reported 81 new cases, raising the tally to 1,928 COVID-19, which include 90 deaths and 1,319 recoveries.
Sudan announced 43 new infections with COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 318, as the death toll rose to 25 after three fatalities were added.
In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by seven to 717, while the death toll remained at 24.
Despite the pandemic, clashes between protesters and army soldiers erupted late Monday in different parts of the country, during which 54 soldiers were injured. Enditem
