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Iraq's Health Ministry Warns of Worsening Epidemiological Situation

Workers in protective suits spray disinfectants near the gate of Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travellers between Iraq and Iran, Iraq March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Essam al-Sudani
Workers in protective suits spray disinfectants near the gate of Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travellers between Iraq and Iran, Iraq March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Essam al-Sudani
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Iraq's Health Ministry Warns of Worsening Epidemiological Situation

Workers in protective suits spray disinfectants near the gate of Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travellers between Iraq and Iran, Iraq March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Essam al-Sudani
Workers in protective suits spray disinfectants near the gate of Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travellers between Iraq and Iran, Iraq March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Essam al-Sudani

The epidemiological situation in Iraq has become extremely worrying, Iraq’s Health Ministry has warned in a statement on Wednesday.

“The rate of infections is escalating, while citizens continue to neglect compliance with health-preventive measures,” the statement noted.

Controlling the pandemic is everyone’s responsibility, the statement said, stressing that by applying the imposed precautionary measures, people help the government control the coronavirus outbreak.

The ministry has proposed a package of measures to the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, to curb the virus’s spread.

These include applying stricter measures in case the epidemiological situation continues to deteriorate, the statement read.

The Committee is scheduled to hold its next meeting on Saturday to discuss the implications of the high rates of infection recorded in the country and the possibility of imposing new measures to limit the spread of the virus, according to the German News Agency.

Iraqi authorities are expecting to receive the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine in late February.

On Wednesday, the ministry recorded 2,282 new coronavirus cases and six deaths.

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Tunisian President Sets Election Date for Oct. 6

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo
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Tunisian President Sets Election Date for Oct. 6

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo

Tunisian President Kais Saied has set the presidential election date for Oct. 6 and is widely expected to seek a second term, with at least one potential candidate in jail and others facing prosecution, Reuters reported.

Elected president in 2019, Saied has not officially announced his candidacy but said last year he will not hand power to what he called non-patriots.

The opposition says fair and credible elections cannot be held unless imprisoned politicians are released and the media is allowed to do its job without pressure from the government.

Opposition parties including the Ennahda party and Free Constitutional Party say they see attempts by the government to exclude Saied's main rivals from the election.

Saied earlier this year criticized what he described as "politicians' jostling for office", saying those who previously boycotted parliamentary elections now wanted his job.

Abir Moussi, the leader of the Free Constitutional Party and a prominent candidate according to opinion polls, has been in prison since last year on charges of harming public security.

Moussi's party says she was imprisoned in an effort to remove her from the election race and avoid a very strong candidate. The authorities deny this.

Other candidates including Safi Saeed, Lotfi Maraihi, Nizar Chaari and Abd Ellatif Mekki are facing prosecution for alleged crimes such as fraud and money laundering.

Mondher Znaidi, a prominent potential candidate who is living in France, is also facing prosecution on suspicion of financial corruption.

Saied seized almost all powers in 2021, dissolved parliament, and began ruling by decree in a move that the opposition described as a coup. Saied said that his steps were legal and necessary to end years of rampant corruption among the political elite.

Prominent opponents of the president have been detained since last year on charges of conspiring against state security, in a crackdown that included businessmen, media figures and politicians.