BAGHDAD, July 8 (Xinhua) -- An Iraqi official said Wednesday that Iraq is facing a long battle against the coronavirus pandemic, as the Health Ministry recorded 2,741 new COVID-19 cases, the highest in single day since the outbreak of the disease.
"The battle against the virus is long, as Iraq has entered the stage of the outbreak of the disease despite that all necessary measures have been taken, but this stage requires new preparations," Hassan Khalatti, member of the parliamentary health committee, said in a statement.
The Health Ministry pursued a good plan when it increased the number of beds in hospitals and established more quarantine centers, he said, adding that the ministry still needs to take into consideration providing more medical supplies.
He said that the ministries of Industry, Interior, Defense, Electricity, and Oil can also provide logistic support to the plan of the Health Ministry in the coming stage.
Khalatti's comments came as the Health Ministry recorded 2,741 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 67,442.
The ministry also confirmed 94 more deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 2,779 in the country.
It also said that 1,627 people recovered during the day, bringing the total recoveries from the disease to 37,879.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic.
China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.
Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem
