The Iraqi Health Ministry reported on Friday 2,545 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide infections to 547,215, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
The ministry also reported 42 new deaths and 1,921 more recovered cases in the country, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 12,167 and the total recoveries have reached 476,297.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the ministry directed the health teams in Baghdad and other provinces to carry out test campaigns for teachers and students with the start of the new school year to ensure that they are not infected with the coronavirus.
INA also reported that the ministry "called on citizens to cooperate with the health teams to conduct coronavirus tests to contain the spread of the virus in the country."
Earlier in the month, the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said in a statement that the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety decided to start the school year on Nov. 29 under health restrictions.