April 13, 2020
Cairo: Iran reported 1,657 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number to 71,686 in the country, while Turkey’s confirmed cases climbed to 56,956.
The number of people who died from the virus in Iran has so far risen to 4,474, said Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Centre of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, reported Xinhua news agency.
Jahanpur said that a total of 43,894 have recovered and left hospitals, while 3,930 are still in critical condition.
So far, 263,388 tests for COVID-19 have been carried out in the country, he added.
To combat the virus, the commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have decided to donate parts of their salaries to the people who have lost their jobs due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus, IRGC spokesperson Ramezan Sharif announced on Sunday.
The commanders will continue to donate 20 percent of their monthly salaries until the novel coronavirus crisis ends in Iran.
Iran announced the first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19, and it records the highest number of confirmed cases and death toll in the Middle East region as of Sunday.
Meanwhile, in Turkey, the total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 56,956 with 4,789 new ones reported in the last 24 hours, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Sunday.
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in the country reached 1,198, with 97 new deaths, Koca tweeted.
Turkey conducted a total of 35,720 tests in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of tests to 376,100, the minister noted.
A total of 3,446 patients have recovered, and 1,665 patients are still being treated at intensive care units, and 978 intubated, he said.
“The downward trend in transition to intensive care continues. There is a decrease in the number of patients intubated. As we test more, predictably more cases are detected and isolated,” Koca stated.
In Israel, the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 11,145, an increase of 402 new cases daily, the state’s Ministry of Health said on Sunday.
The ministry also reported two more deaths from the virus, raising the number of victims to 103.
Since Saturday evening 286 patients have recovered, the daily highest number of recovery cases in Israel so far. This brings the total number of recoveries in Israel to 1,627.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Health said on Sunday that Israel has announced several neighbourhoods in Jerusalem as “restricted zones” as part of the fight against the novel coronavirus.
Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced 429 new COVID-19 cases and seven more deaths, bringing the total cases in the country to 4,462.
The United Arab Emirates announced 387 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 4,123.
Egypt confirmed on Sunday 126 new cases and 13 new deaths of COVID-19, raising the total number of cases registered in the country to 2,065, including 159 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian armed forces started distributing free face masks to citizens in public places to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Algeria said on Sunday that the novel coronavirus cases have reached 1,914 in the North African country, with a death toll of 293.
In Morocco, a total of 116 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Sunday, bringing the total number to 1,661, the health ministry said.
The death toll from the novel coronavirus reached 118, while the number of cured cases stood at 177, the ministry added.
Kuwait’s confirmed cases rose to 1,234 on Sunday, while the Iraqi Health Ministry confirmed 34 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 1,352.
Oman reported on Sunday 53 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 599.
Jordan confirmed 8 new cases, increasing the overall number of cases to 389.
The country also decided on Sunday to extend the work suspension for all public agencies, ministries, schools, universities and educational institutions until April 30.
In Palestine, the total number of COVID-19 cases reached 290 on Sunday.IANS
40 migrants missing, 10 rescued after shipwreck in Mediterranean
Rome: Up to 40 migrants are believed to have died after their boat capsized in rough seas in the central Mediterranean, while another 10 were rescued, Italian authorities and the...
Empathy can help journalists beat AI: President Murmu at Ramnath Goenka Awards
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday noted that AI, which is disrupting the world with opportunities as well as challenges, has entered the field of media too but it...
Madhya Pradesh boat tragedy: All seven bodies recovered; rescue operation called off
Bhopal: All seven bodies of those who drowned in Mata Tila dam reservoir in a boat accident on March 18 have been recovered by rescue teams, an official said on...
Cold-blooded murder: Priyanka on Israeli attacks on Hamas targets
New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday condemned Israel's latest military strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, calling them an act of "cold-blooded murder." Israel launched heavy airstrikes...
‘The Earth missed you’: PM Modi welcomes Sunita Williams and Crew-9 astronauts after extended space mission
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday welcomed the safe return of NASA’s Crew-9, which included astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who had been stranded in space for...
Zelensky says prospects of partial ceasefire with Russia ‘positive result’
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that even a partial ceasefire with Russia will be a positive result and will bring Ukraine closer to conflict resolution. Speaking during a video...
Stranded US astronauts return to Earth, after nine months in space
Washington: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to planet Earth Tuesday evening ending an unplanned protracted stay on the International Space Station. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying them and two...
K’taka govt introduces Muslim quota Bill in Assembly, says it will address unemployment
Bengaluru: Amid the opposition, the ruling Congress on Tuesday tabled the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Amendment (KTPP) Bill, which aims to provide a four per cent quota to Muslims...
Telangana Assembly passes Bill for sub-categorisation of SCs
Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly on Tuesday passed a Bill for the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) for fair distribution of reservation as per the order passed by the Supreme Court...
Manipur burned under Congress rule, but they ignored it: Nirmala Sitharaman
New Delhi: Responding to a discussion on Manipur in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Congress of neglecting violence in the state during its...
ED raids George Soros’ Foundation, Amnesty, 7 other locations in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began conducting raids in Bengaluru against George Soros’ Foundation and linked NGOs at eight locations on Tuesday under the Foreign Exchange Management...
MGNREGA has been weakened, says Sonia Gandhi in Rajya Sabha
New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha member Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday raised concerns over the weakening of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme....
