ANKARA

Iraq on Wednesday confirmed the first death from the coronavirus in the country, according to local health authorities.    

In a statement, the Health Ministry of Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq said a 63-year-old man, who tested positive for the coronavirus in Suleymaniyeh province, died on Wednesday. 

The Iraqi authorities confirmed 32 cases of coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19. 

Last week, Baghdad shut schools and universities for 10 days and banned travel to virus-hit states as part of its fight against the disease. 

The global death toll from coronavirus has crossed 3,000, with more than 89,000 infected. 

The World Health Organization, which already declared the outbreak an international health emergency, updated the global risk level to “very high.”