CAIRO, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nudged 170,000 both in Iran and Turkey on Saturday, but with different speed. Meanwhile, a Chinese anti-coronavirus medical expert team shared experience in prevention of COVID-19 with Chinese doctors in the country.
Iran became the hardest-hit country in the Middle East again after the tally of COVID-19 infections surged to 169,425 with 2,269 new cases.
The country also reported 75 new deaths from the virus on Saturday, raising the death toll to 8,209. A total of 132,038 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 2,578 still in critical condition.
On the same day, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani urged people to follow health protocols pertaining to COVID-19 while the country reopens economic and social activities.
In the mean time, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed to 169,218 after 878 new infections were reported, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.
The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 4,669 after 21 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, he said, adding that 1,922 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the total recoveries to 135,322.
It is worth noting that 80 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in Turkey have recovered and the majority of the patients stayed at home without any symptoms, Koca noted.
In Sudan, Chinese anti-coronavirus medical experts discussed the prevention and control of COVID-19 with members of the 35th Chinese medical team in the country, including the scientific nature of COVID-19, laboratory testing and improvement of mental health.
On June 5, coordinated by the Chinese embassy in the Sudan, the Chinese medical expert team also organized a video conference on prevention of the coronavirus with China's embassies in South Sudan, Mauritania and Morocco.
Saudi Arabia announced 3,121 new cases and 34 more deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 98,869 and the death toll to 676.
The kingdom also reported 1,175 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 71,791.
In Qatar, 1,700 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, bringing the total number to 67,195, of whom 51 have died and 42,527 recovered.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 626 new COVID-19 cases and one more death, raising the tally of infections to 38,268 and the death toll to 275.
The total number of recoveries from the virus in the UAE increased to 21,061 after 724 more fully recovered.
Egypt's coronavirus cases continued the surging trend to reach 32,612 after 1,497 new infections were added.
The Egyptian Health Ministry also reported 32 more deaths and 380 cases of recoveries, increasing the death toll to 1,198 and the total recoveries to 8,538.
Kuwait reported 487 new cases, bringing the country's total number of infections to 31,131, of whom 254 have died and 19,282 recovered.
Israel reported 190 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of coronavirus infections to 17,752.
The deaths from the virus in Israel increased from 291 to 295 while the recoveries rose to 15,050.
Oman's Ministry of Health announced 930 new cases of infections, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 16,016, including 72 deaths and 3,451 recoveries.
Iraq confirmed the highest daily rise of 1,252 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 11,098, of whom 4,904 have recovered.
The country also reported 33 deaths from the coronavirus during the day, the highest rise in daily fatalities so far, bringing the death toll in Iraq to 318.
The Iraqi authorities on Saturday decided to extend the current curfew to another week until June 13.
Algeria said that 115 new cases of infections were reported in the past 24 hours, taking the tally of infections to 10,050, while the death toll hit 698 and the recoveries reached 6,631.
In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 8,151 after 80 new cases were added, which included 208 fatalities and 7,315 recoveries.
In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by eight to 1,320, while the death toll remained unchanged at 29.
Jordan registered 11 more infections, bringing the total coronavirus cases to 795, including nine deaths and 586 recoveries. Enditem
