CAIRO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran's COVID-19 cases surpassed 341,000 on Saturday. Meanwhile, Iraq recorded the highest daily new infections of 4,293 cases.
Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, reported 2,245 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 341,070.
Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said at her daily briefing that 161 people died from the coronavirus overnight, taking the total death toll to 19,492.
As of Saturday, 295,630 patients have recovered, while 3,911 others remain in critical condition in ICU.
The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 4,293 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the disease, bringing the total infections to 172,583.
It also reported 76 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll from the virus to 5,785, while 2,571 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 122,700.
"It is a serious fact that the daily coronavirus infections cross the threshold of 4,000," Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili said.
Attributing the latest surge in the number of infections to the public non-compliance with health measures during the Eid al-Adha holiday, al-Jumaili called on the authorities concerned "to rapidly take strict measures against all violators of the health instructions."
Saudi Arabia registered 1,413 new coronavirus cases, increasing the accumulated infections to 297,315.
The recoveries rose to 264,487 with the reporting of 1,528 newly recovered cases.
The death toll reached 3,369 with the registration of 31 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
Turkey reported 1,256 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total diagnosed cases to 248,117. Meanwhile, 21 people died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,955.
Israel reported 1,153 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of coronavirus infections to 92,233.
The death toll of the virus in Israel increased to 674 while the recoveries rose to 67,951.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 283 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 64,102.
UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement that 98 more patients have recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries to 57,571. It also confirmed two more deaths, pushing the country's death toll to 361.
Kuwait reported 512 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 75,697 and the death toll to 498, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also announced the recovery of 779 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 67,519.
Kuwait will move into the fourth phase of its five-phase plan to return to normal life. The fourth phase is set to start on Aug. 18 and the government will permit salons, gyms, barbershops, tailor's, and spas to reopen and restaurants to offer more services.
The Qatari health ministry announced 277 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 114,809.
Meanwhile, 247 more recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 111,505, while the death toll increased by two to 192.
Morocco reported 1,776 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day increase so far, taking the number of infections in the country since March 2 to 41,017.
The total recoveries increased by 922 to 28,556, while the death toll rose by 21 to 632 in the past 24 hours, said Mouad Mrabet, coordinator of the Moroccan Center for Public Health Operations of the Ministry of Health, at a press briefing.
Palestine reported 498 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 21,554, including 12,908 recoveries and 119 deaths.
Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased by 397 cases to 8,442 while death toll went up by 3 to 97, the Health Ministry reported.
Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan said his ministry, in cooperation with municipalities, has started isolating a number of streets in specific areas in an attempt to restrict the further spread of the virus.
Jordan recorded 10 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the tally to 1,339 since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Enditem
