BAGHDAD, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi health ministry on Saturday recorded 2,862 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the disease, bringing the total infections in the country to 107,573.

The new cases showed a hike in infections in the capital Baghdad with 1,136 cases, followed by 251 cases in Basra, 226 in Wasit, 208 in Karbala and 155 in Babil, the ministry said in a statement.

It also reported 72 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 4,284, while 2,049 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 73,317.

The new cases were recorded after 15,788 testing kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 895,187 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi discussed in a meeting with his ministry's senior officials the means to provide all required medications and medical equipment for the health institutions to contain the coronavirus pandemic, the ministry said in a separate statement.

Al-Tamimi highlighted the importance of increasing the capacity of laboratory tests and intensifying efforts to detect contacts with the infected people, according to the statement.

On July 16, the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, decided to reduce the hours of the partial curfew, except for the full curfew on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

It also decided to completely lift the curfew after the Eid al-Adha holiday, which is expected to end in early August according to the Islamic lunar calendar.

China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.

Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem

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