Iraq reports 1st coronavirus recovery

BAGHDAD

A coronavirus patient in Iraq has been discharged from hospital after full recovery, the first in the country, a health official announced Friday.

"This is the first case of recovery in Iraq from the virus," said Jaseb Al-Hajjami, head of the Baghdad Health Directorate in Al-Karkh neighborhood.

The patient has been held under treatment at the Al-Furat Governmental Hospital in the capital, he said.

Iraqi authorities have so far confirmed 38 cases of the contagion. Three patients died.

Last week, officials announced a ten-day suspension in Baghdad schools and universities and banned travel to virus-hit states as part of the containment efforts.

The virus, also known as COVID-19, emerged in China’s Wuhan last December, and has since spread to over 80 countries.

The global death toll is past 3,300 with more than 98,000 cases, according to the World Health Organization.

*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara