Iraq extends curfew for another week

Iraqi authorities have decided to extend the incumbent curfew to another week after the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country jumped to more than 11,000.

The decision was made after a meeting by the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The committee took several measures including continuation of the current full curfew until June 13, and then replacing it with a partial curfew on June 14 from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., al-Kadhimi's media office said in a statement.

The committee also prevented the movement between the provinces, except for the health, security and public service personnel, and ordered the security forces to tighten the control of the implementation of the health restrictions through preventing all forms of gatherings.

The restrictions included preventing people from going outside without wearing masks.

Food and vegetable shops, bakeries and pharmacies are allowed to open, the statement added.

Al-Kadhimi explained that the increase of test capacity by the health teams led to the latest increase of COVID-19 cases.

The Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country increased to 11,098 after a record of 1,252 daily infections were added.

It also said that 33 people died from the coronavirus during the day, in the highest single-day rise so far, bringing the death toll in the country to 318, while 4,904 patients have recovered.

( With inputs from IANS )