CAIRO, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's COVID-19 cases rose to 317,483 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Turkey has tightened measures against the pandemic across the country after daily new cases surpassed the threshold of 1,000 again.
Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, reported 2,697 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 317,483.
The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 17,802 in Iran, up by 185 in the past 24 hours. A total of 274,932 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 4,129 still in critical condition.
In Turkey, the total number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 236,112 after 1,178 new infections were reported, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.
The death toll from the virus in the country rose to 5,784 after 19 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, Koca said, adding 1,015 more patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 219,506.
In the meantime, a notice has sent to all the governor's offices in 81 provinces across Turkey, saying inspections will mostly focus on quarantine conditions, social distancing, wearing masks, and hygiene, according to Turkish Interior Ministry.
Measures in celebrations such as weddings and engagement parties have also been tightened to curb the fast spread of the pandemic and funerals as well as other large gatherings will also be rigidly controlled.
Saudi Arabia announced 1,389 new cases and 36 more deaths, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 282,824 and the death toll to 3,020.
The kingdom also reported 1,626 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 245,314.
In Iraq, the tally of coronavirus infections rose to 137,556 after 2,834 new cases were reported.
The country also reported 77 more deaths and 2,339 recovered cases, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 5,094 and the total recoveries to 98,442.
On the same day, Iraqi Deputy Minister of Health Hazim al-Jumaili warned of difficult days ahead as the daily rise in the coronavirus cases has been staying high in Iraq.
In Qatar, 267 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, increasing the total number to 111,805, including 178 deaths and 108,539 recoveries.
Egypt's coronavirus cases continued the slowdown trend to reach 94,875, with the addition of 123 new infections.
The Egyptian Health Ministry also reported 18 more deaths and 1,613 recoveries, increasing the death toll to 4,930 and the total recoveries to 47,182.
Oman's Ministry of Health announced 585 new infections, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 80,286, including 488 deaths and 69,803 recoveries.
The Omani government decided on the day to reduce the COVID-19 lockdown of all public places and shops to eight hours from 11 hours.
Israel reported 1,721 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of coronavirus infections to 77,919.
The death toll of the virus in Israel increased to 565 while the recoveries rose to 51,395.
Kuwait reported 651 new cases, bringing the country's total number of infections to 69,425, of whom 468 have died and 60,906 recovered.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 254 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 61,606 and the death toll to 353.
The total number of recoveries from the virus in the UAE increased to 55,385 after 295 more fully recovered.
In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 28,500 after a record 1,283 daily new cases were added, which included 435 fatalities and 19,994 recoveries.
Palestine reported 353 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 16,981, including 8,128 recoveries and 92 deaths.
In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 355 cases in the past two days to 5,417, while the death toll went up to 68.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 1,763 after three new cases were added.
The number of recoveries in the government-controlled areas, including the southern port city of Aden, increased to 894 and the death toll climbed to 508. Enditem
