CAIRO, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- China has donated 50,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Iraq, the Chinese embassy in Baghdad said on Thursday. Meanwhile, both Iran and Palestine received the first batch of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Chinese embassy in Iraq said the friendly step by the Chinese government aims to "help Iraq overcome the COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible."
"The Chinese side maintains close communication with the Iraqi side over the delivery of the vaccines," the statement said.
Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Thursday 1,150 new COVID-19 cases and 12 new deaths, bringing the nationwide tally to 624,222 and the death toll to 13,091. And 1,090 more cases recovered, bringing the total recoveries in Iraq to 596,959.
Iran on Thursday received the first batch of Russia-made COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, official IRNA news agency reported.
The second batch of Sputnik V vaccine will arrive in Iran in two weeks and the third by Feb. 28, said Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali.
Iran reported 7,040 new COVID-19 cases and 67 more deaths on Thursday, pushing up its tally of infections to 1,445,326 and death toll to 58,256.
Palestine also received the first shipment of 10,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, said Hussein al-Sheikh, Palestinian minister of civil affairs.
"The shipment of the vaccines will be enough for 5,000 people," Palestinian Minister of Health Mai al-Kaila said, adding priority in the vaccination will be for medical staff, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases.
Palestine on Thursday reported 661 new coronavirus cases and eight more deaths, taking its total infections to 181,349 and death toll to 2,050. The total recoveries in Palestine increased by 419 to 170,349.
Turkey reported 7,909 new COVID-19 cases, including 627 ones with symptoms, and 113 more deaths, as its tally of infections climbed to 2,508,988 and its death toll soared to 26,467. Turkey's total recoveries increased by 8,815 to 2,396,199.
Israel's Ministry of Health reported 7,237 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total tally in the country to 674,453.
The death toll from the COVID-19 in Israel reached 4,993 after 65 new fatalities were added, while the total recoveries rose by 420 to 589,708.
Morocco announced 620 new COVID-19 cases and 28 more deaths, taking the tally in the North African country to 473,667 and its total deaths to 8,351.
The number of recoveries from the coronavirus in Morocco increased to 452,522 after 742 more were added, the ministry of health said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday additional steps to contain COVID-19, including closing cinemas and indoor entertainment centers.
Shopping malls, gyms and sports centers will be shut down for 10 days, while dining services in restaurants and cafes will also be closed during the same period.
All events and parties, including weddings and corporate meetings, in banquet halls, wedding halls or hotels, will be suspended for 30 days.
The Saudi Health Ministry recorded on Thursday 303 new COVID-19 cases and three more fatalities, raising the total infections to 369,248 and the death toll to 6,389. The total recoveries in the kingdom rose by 297 to 360,697.
Lebanon registered 3,107 new COVID-19 cases, raising the number of infections to 312,269, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.
The coronavirus death toll in Lebanon surged by 82 to 3,397, while its total recoveries rose by 3,500 to 192,324.
Kuwait's COVID-19 cases increased by 840 to 168,250, while the death toll rose by one to 962 on Thursday.
The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced the recovery of 555 more patients, taking the total recoveries to 160,098.
The Omani health ministry announced 185 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number in the sultanate to 135,041.
Oman's total number of recoveries surged by 97 to 127,266, while no new COVID-19 death was reported, keeping the death toll at 1,532, according to a ministry statement.
In Qatar, the health ministry announced 407 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total confirmed number in the Gulf state to 152,898.
Meanwhile, 172 more recovered from the virus, bringing the overall recoveries to 146,474, while the total fatalities stood at 249, said the ministry in a statement. Enditem
