ISTANBUL

Cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sudan, Morocco, Oman and Syria, local health authorities said on Tuesday.

In the Gulf state of Kuwait, seven fatalities were recorded and 608 new cases, according to the Health Ministry.

Tuesday's figures brought the total number of cases to 22,575, including 172 deaths and 7,306 recoveries.

In the UAE, the Health Ministry recorded five deaths and 779 new cases, pushing the total to 31,086 including 253 deaths and 15,982 recoveries.

Oman's Health Ministry registered 348 new cases, bringing the total to 8,118, including 37 death and 67 recoveries.

Turning to North Africa, Sudan's Health Ministry said five fatalities raised the death toll to 170 while 156 new cases brought the total to 3,976, including 503 recoveries.

In Morocco, the death toll rose to 202 with two new fatalities recorded while 24 new cases brought the total to 7,556, with 4,841 recoveries so far, according to the Health Ministry.

Syrian regime health officials announced 15 additional cases, raising the total to 121, including four fatalities and 41 recoveries.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 188 countries and regions, with Europe and the US currently the worst hit.

The pandemic has killed nearly 347,000 people worldwide, with nearly 5.52 million confirmed cases, while recoveries have surpassed 2.25 million, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat