Iraq has plans to boost hospital capacity over the growing number of COVID-19 patients, the Health Ministry’s Undersecretary announced on Thursday.
Jassim al-Falahi told Iraq’s state-run news agency that 20 new hospitals will soon be in service as part of the country’s coronavirus fight.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi inaugurated on Sunday Al-Ataa hospital in Sadr City, east of Baghdad, to treat COVID-19 patients.
He pointed out that the hospital has been equipped and prepared by Al-Sadr Movement’s Saraya al-Salam brigades.
Regarding the decision to close private clinics for two weeks, Falahi said some have started receiving infected patients in violation of the Ministry’s instructions.
Clinics are neither adhering to the Supreme Committee for Health and National Safety’s instructions nor applying public health measures, he stressed, adding that they are not safe to receive coronavirus patients.
Falahi noted that by issuing this decision, the Ministry aims to ensure the safety of doctors and patients.
He called on people to respect the measures, follow health instructions, focus more on personal hygiene and ensure social distancing to limit the coronavirus outbreak.
The Ministry announced on Thursday 2,170 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 69,612.
The new cases include 638 in Baghdad, 208 in Sulaimaniyah, 145 in Qadisiyah, 141 in Karbala, 137 in Wasit and 131 in Basra, while the rest were detected in other provinces, the ministry said in a statement.
It also affirmed 103 more deaths, raising the death toll to 2,882 in the country, noting that 1,623 people recovered, which brought the total number of recoveries to 39,502.
The new cases were recorded after 11,809 tests were made across the country in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of tests to 649,036 since the outbreak, the statement read.