A woman wearing a face mask waits for taxi on a street in Tehran, Iran, July 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
-- Iran's confirmed coronavirus cases rise to 257,303;
-- Saudi Arabia's total infections reach 232,259;
-- Turkey's COVID-19 cases climb to 212,993;
-- Egypt records a total of 82,070 COVID-19 cases.
CAIRO, July 12 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the Middle East, Iran saw its confirmed cases surpassing 257,000, while Saudi Arabia's tally has exceeded 232,000 on Sunday.
Iran's confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 257,303 after an overnight registration of 2,186 new infections, state-run IRNA news agency reported.
The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 12,829 in Iran, up by 194 in the past 24 hours. Besides, 219,993 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 3,359 remain in critical condition.
Saudi Arabia registered on Sunday 2,779 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the kingdom to 232,259, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In the past 24 hours, 1,742 individuals recovered from the virus, increasing the total recoveries to 167,138, while 42 died from the coronavirus, raising the death toll in the kingdom to 2,223.
Turkey's COVID-19 cases increased by 1,012 to a total of 212,993, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said, adding that 19 people died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,363.
A total of 1,298 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the total recoveries to 194,515 in Turkey, said Koca, noting that 1,209 patients are being treated in intensive care units and 409 are intubated.
A hotel employee serves tea to a customer in Ankara, Turkey, on July 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
Israel reported 1,207 new COVID-19 cases and eight more deaths, bringing the total cases to 38,670 and the total fatalities to 362. So far, 19,008 people have recovered from the disease in the country.
Israel's cabinet approved on Sunday grants for the unemployed, self-employed and business owners amid growing public criticism over the government's handling of the coronavirus economic crisis.
The Prime Minister's Office and the Finance Ministry said in a joint statement that in "the next few days" the government will transfer up to 7,500 shekels (about 2,169 U.S. dollars) to the bank accounts of the unemployed, self-employed, people on furlough and business owners who were hurt by the coronavirus restrictions and lockdown.
Egypt reported 912 new COVID-19 cases and 89 more deaths, bringing the total cases to 82,070 and death toll to 3,858. A total of 24,419 people have recovered from the virus in the country.
People watch a concert at an open-air theater at Cairo Opera House in Cairo, Egypt, on July 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
The Iraqi Health Ministry recorded 2,312 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 77,506.
In addition, 95 more deaths were reported during the day, raising the country's death toll from the infectious virus to 3,150 in Iraq, while 1,645 people recovered during the day, bringing the total recoveries to 44,724.
Kuwait reported 836 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 54,894 and the death toll to 390, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also announced the recovery of 649 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 44,610.
The Qatari health ministry announced 470 new infections of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 103,598.
The total recoveries in the country increased to 99,743 after 809 more patients recovered, while one more patient died, raising the death toll to 147.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 401 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 54,854 and the death toll to 333.
The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said that 492 more patients have recovered from the virus, taking the total recoveries in the UAE to 45,140.
Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani (R, Front) inspects a college entrance exam in Rabat, Morocco, July 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Chadi)
Morocco registered 203 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally of infections in the country to 15,745. The death toll from the virus reached 250 as five more fatalities were recorded.
Lebanon registered on Sunday the highest 166 daily new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number in the country to 2,344. ■
