News in Brief

TEHRAN:

Iranian authorities announced, on Tuesday, 62 deaths due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last 24 hours, bringing the total succumbing to the virus to 7,119.

A Health Ministry official said that the number of those who contracted COVID-19 reached 124,603 in the country after 2,111 new cases were registered.

Those who recovered from the virus reached 97,173. (KUNA)

RABAT:

Morocco decided Monday to extend the lockdown for three weeks as the Ministry of Health registered 82 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.

Prime Minister Saaduddine Othmani, addressing a parliamentary session, said the government decided to extend the lockdown for three weeks, until June 10, to continue efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

He attributed the extension decision to the good results achieved so far.

“We cannot take the risk in lifting the lockdown in this stage ... because it might result in setback,” he said.

The ministry of health said the 82 new cases increased infections to 6,952.

It added no deaths were reported since yesterday, while 98 people recovered to raise recoveries to 3,758. (KUNA)

TUNIS:

The Tunisian Ministry of Health announced on Monday that six persons more tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall infections to 1,043.

Five of the cases involve recent arrivals who have been quarantined and the sixth one is a locally transmitted, the ministry said in a press release.

A Covid-19 patient has died in Al-Mahdiya province, bringing the deaths from the pandemic to 46 while three patients have recovered, pushing the overall recoveries 819, according to the statement.

Last Monday the Tunisian authorities relaxed the lockdowns and allowed some businesses to reopen after the daily rate of infections dropped to nil, but the pandemic cropped up in the country on Friday. (KUNA)

BEIRUT:

Lebanon declared on Monday recording 20 new coronavirus infection cases raising the toll of contaminations with the pandemic to 931.

Lebanese Ministry of Health said in its daily update about the pandemic status that no deaths with the contagion were reported in past 24 hours, thus the tally of fatalities remained at 26.

Recoveries reached 252, it said, adding that health personnel conducted 945 tests for the virus in past 24 hours. (KUNA)

AMMAN:

Jordanian Ministery of Health Saad Jaber said Monday 16 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus to raise infections to 629.

He told a news conference seven infectees came into close contact with previously-infected persons, four Jordanian truck drivers who came from abroad, three citizens traveling from Malaysis and two in the Irbed.

Jaber said five people recovered from the virus. (KUNA)

ADEN:

Yemen Monday said two persons were diagnosed positive of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, in the past 24 hours.

The national committee tasked with confronting the pandemic said total infections rose to 130 after the registration of two cases in the eastern governorate of Shabwa.

It added in a statement 20 persons have died of the virus. (KUNA)