Virus claims 77 more lives in Iraq, 31 in Saudi Arabia

Health authorities in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait confirmed more fatalities and infections related to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday.

The Iraqi Health Ministry said 77 people died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, pushing the nationwide death toll to 6,596.

The virus has also sickened 3,962 more people, bringing the total cases to 211,947, including 153,761 recoveries.

In Saudi Arabia, the Health Ministry recorded 31 more deaths and 1,114 new cases over the past day.

The kingdom’s count now stands at 3,722 deaths and 309,768 infections as well as 283,932 recoveries.

Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Health Ministry registered one fatality and 613 recoveries over the past 24 hours.

The Gulf state’s figures now stood at 81,572 confirmed cases, including 519 deaths, and 73,402 recoveries.

Since originating in China last December, the pandemic has claimed over 814,100 lives in 188 countries and regions.

More than 23.69 million cases have been reported worldwide, while over 15.38 million patients have recovered so far, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz