Five new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Kirkuk, four of them are members of a family who had close contact with an infected person with the virus. At the same time, tens of people have been quarantined due to the spread of the virus.
According to the latest statistics of Kirkuk Health Directorate, five new persons living in the city have been infected with the virus, confirming the cases after the return of their tests from Baghdad, the capital of Iraq.
Karim Wali, director of the health directorate, said, “numerous coronavirus tests were conducted, that showed five people have contracted the virus. Four of them are members of a family who are relatives of another infected person.”
The infected person is a woman who tested positive in recent days. She lives in Shorija Neighborhood.
A nurse is the fifth person who tested postive for the virus.
“Neither of them has traveled, they have only had interactions with other coronavirus patients,” Wali said.
The nurse has a clinic in the Shorija neighborhood, and the woman visited her to receive treatments when she had not yet been tested for coronavirus.
Now, anyone who has visited the nurse’s clinic has to present him or herself to the health team to have coronavirus test.
Kirkuk, a civil defense employee is disinfecting Azadi Hospital, March 2020. Photo: Iraqi Red Crescent
There is fear for the spread of the virus in other areas in Kirkuk due to people’s interactions with each other. As a result, tens of people have been quarantined, besides placing Taza Khurmatu and Layan sub-districts under quarantine.
Sabah Namiq, deputy health director in Kirkuk, stated, “44 people have been quarantined, including 10 persons of the family of a person who has been infected with the virus in Laylan, and 25 other quarantined people are relatives of the person contracted the virus in Taza Khurmatu.
He also explained that anyone who is suspected of contracting the virus would be quarantined, and in the coming days, they will conduct more tests.
Local administration in Kirkuk, like other provinces, has extended the coronavirus lockdown until April 11 to minimize the spread of the virus.
In Kirkuk, 17 people have been infected with the virus. Six of them recovered, and one died. 748 cases have been confirmed as of now nationwide in Iraq.
Globally, 937 thousand people have contracted the virus; among them, more than 195 thousand have recovered, and 48 thousand have died.
