Tunisia’s total COVID-19 deaths exceeded 4,000 after the country recorded 35 new fatalities.
The Tunisian Health Ministry confirmed that the death toll rose to 4,032 on December 16.
It said 1,419 new coronavirus cases were recorded on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 115,966.
It said 1,315 patients with COVID-19 are being treated in Tunisian public hospitals and private clinics, and about 287 patients are in intensive care units, while 82 patients are on ventilators.
On the possibility of Tunisia witnessing a third wave of the pandemic, a specialist in infectious diseases ruled out such a scenario, saying the peak of infections was during the months of September and November.
But he expected higher levels of infections in March, pending the arrival of vaccines to the country.
He stressed the need to vaccinate at least 20 percent of Tunisians to ensure a decline in COVID-19 cases and to stop the rapid spread of the disease.
Speaking about the number of infections and deaths among the elderly in nursing homes in Tunisia, Minister of Women and Family Imen Zahouani said during a conference held Friday that the number of cases has reached 85, while six deaths were recorded among the elderly.
She revealed a set of preventive measures taken by the Ministry to protect such care facilities.
