Iraq reports 2,123 new Covid-19 cases, 568,138 in total

Baghdad [Iraq], December 8 (ANI/Xinhua): The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday 2,123 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the tally of nationwide infections to 568,138.
The ministry reported in statement 17 new deaths and 2,339 more recovered cases in the country, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 12,477 and the total recoveries to 498,064.
A total of 3,736,860 tests have been carried out across the country since the outbreak of the disease in February, with 31,791 done during the day, according to the ministry's statement.
Meanwhile, Riyadh Abdul-Amir, head of the ministry's Public Health Department, told the official Iraqi News Agency that Iraq is witnessing a clear improvement in the epidemiological situation, as the coronavirus infections have decreased.
"The ratio of the positive cases to the daily Covid-19 tests decreased to six per cent, and daily deaths decreased from more than 60 to fewer than 30 in recent days," Abdul-Amir said.
The ministry also increased testing capacity to more than 30,000 per day after establishing more than 60 laboratories for Covid-19 tests, the statement noted.
Iraq has taken a series of measures to contain the pandemic since February when the first coronavirus case appeared in the country.
China has been helping Iraq fight the coronavirus 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 Baghdad.
Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. (ANI/Xinhua)