Iraq's tally of COVID-19 cases exceeds 190,000
Xinhua
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BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The total infections of COVID-19 cases in Iraq on Thursday reached 192,797, as the Health Ministry reported 3,995 new cases during the past 24 hours.

The ministry reported 87 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 6,208, while 2,831 more patients recovered in the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 137,200.

The new cases were recorded after 23,268 testing kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 1,368,727 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the ministry's statement.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Health Minister Hassan Al-Tamimi said in a press release that Iraq will be one of the first countries to receive the vaccine if approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations.

"Coordination is underway with the Iraqi Foreign Ministry to communicate with the countries producing the vaccines, but all the vaccines announced so far are still in the experimental phase and have not yet obtained the approval of the WHO," al-Tamimi said.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic.

China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Iraq's capital Baghdad.

Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem