ANKARA

Health authorities in Oman, Libya and Kuwait confirmed more fatalities from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday as the Middle East region continues to battle the pandemic.

In Oman, nine deaths and 192 infections were recorded as well as 165 recoveries over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Gulf state’s tally now rose to 83,418 cases, including 597 deaths, and 77,977 recoveries.

In a statement, Libya’s National Center for Disease Control said four people had died from COVID-19 and 407 others tested positive.

The country’s count now rose to 8,579 confirmed cases, including 157 deaths, and 969 recoveries.

Kuwaiti Health Ministry said three more deaths and 643 new infections were recorded over the past 24 hours.

The total number of cases in the Gulf state rose to 77,470, including 505 deaths, and 69,243 recoveries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more than 774,700 lives in at least 188 countries and regions since emerging in Wuhan, China last December.

Over 21.91 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the US, Brazil, India and Russia currently the hardest-hit countries, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The data shows more than half of all patients – over 13.91 million – have recovered so far.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara