Municipal workers wearing protective face masks and suits as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, feed the fish on the iconic Balikligol lake in the city of Sanliurfa, southeastern Turkey, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. (Photo: AP)

CAIRO, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Turkey on Friday increased to 104,912, while Iran's cases reached 88,194 amid a continued slowdown.

Turkey, the new epicenter of the outbreak in the Middle East, on Friday confirmed 3,122 new COVID-19 cases. The death toll in the country surged to 2,600 after 109 more deaths were reported.

In addition, 21,737 patients have recovered from COVID-19 so far, while 1,790 are being treated at intensive care units and 929 intubated.

In Iran, 1,168 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of the infected to 88,194, while the death toll increased by 93 to 5,574.

The number of recoveries has reached 66,596 while 3,121 are still in critical condition and under treatment.

In Israel, another hard-hit country in the region, the number of coronavirus patients has reached 15,058 after 255 new patients were added on Friday.

The number of death cases rose from 192 to 194, while the number of recoveries in Israel reached 6,003 on Friday.

The Israeli government has approved an emergency plan to assist small business owners and self-employed workers with 8 billion new shekels (2.28 billion U.S. dollars).

Saudi Arabia announced on Friday 1,172 new cases of the coronavirus and six new deaths, raising the total to 15,102 and the death toll to 127.

The tally of recoveries in the kingdom increased to 2,049 after 124 more patients were cured.

The United Arab Emirates on Friday recorded 525 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 9,281, and 8 more deaths, pushing the country's death toll to 64.

In Qatar, 761 new infections of the novel coronavirus were announced on Friday, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 8,525.

Kuwait on Friday reported 215 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death, bringing the total infections to 2,614 and death toll to 15.

Egyptian Health Ministry reported on Friday 201 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,092, including 294 deaths.

In Morocco, the death toll from the novel coronavirus reached 158 among the 3,758 confirmed cases.

In Oman, 74 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,790.

Iraq on Friday said that a total of 1,708 COVID-19 cases were confirmed and 86 deaths were recorded in the country.

In Lebanon, the COVID-19 infections increased on Friday by eight cases to 696 while the death toll remained unchanged at 22.

Palestine on Friday reported four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in its territories to 484.