Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

WHO: Iraq Won't Enter Pandemic Peak Soon


Mon 05 Oct 2020 | 10:45 PM
Ahmed Moamar

Dr. Adham Ismail, the regional representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Iraq, denied that Iraq had entered the peak stage of the Coronavirus pandemic.

In a press statement, Ismail said the WHO denies what was reported by some different news agencies that Iraq will soon enter the peak phase .

Ismail added: "Iraq is in a stage of local transmission of the virus and is completely controlled by the state."

He called on the media to "be careful about the statements attributed to them that cause panic among the great people."

Thousands of pilgrims flock Monday, October 5th, to the Iraqi city of Karbala, despite the seriousness of the Coronavirus, ahead of the mournful march to commemorate the assassination of Al- Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib (grandchild of Prophet Mohamed) next Thursday.

The Iraqi authorities are taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus, as civil defense workers spray disinfectants on pilgrims, streets, and public places in the city.

It is reported that this year, Shiite pilgrims from outside the country will not be allowed to enter Iraq due to the pandemic.

After registering more than 350 thousand cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the death of about 9 thousand and 300 infected people, Iraq now tops the Arab lists in the number of cases.

Mean while, the government tried to limit the influx of pilgrims from Iran by closing the land borders to Iraq and restricting flights, but it could not continue to do so, especially after the head of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, launched a campaign to keep the shrines open.

Iraq lacks enough beds to absorb the number of infected people, in addition to a shortage of medical staff after the migration of about 20,000 doctors abroad, according to the Physicians' Syndicate data.

Also, a large number of medical staff are striking due to poor working conditions (lack of basic materials such as masks).