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The Iraqi Health Ministry on Monday recorded 3,484 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the disease, while an Iraqi health official said that Iraq is communicating with advanced companies producing coronavirus vaccines.
The new cases brought the total nationwide infections to 153,599, as the ministry's health teams and institutions have used 19,663 testing kits across the country during the day, raising the total testing kits used so far to 1,165,049, the ministry said in a statement.
It also reported 72 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 5,464, while 2,015 more patients recovered in the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 109,790.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili said in a statement that the ministry is following-up advanced international companies producing the anti-COVID-19 vaccine.
The ministry has contact with the companies to know when the vaccine will be produced, al-Jumaili told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
"If the vaccine is proven to have good results, it will be provided in the Iraqi hospitals," al-Jumaili said.
"Iraq will reserve the first vaccine that appears for coronavirus after ensuring its safety, efficiency, and prices," he noted.
Since the outbreak of the novel 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 Baghdad.
Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq.
