Coronavirus cases increase in Iraq, Saudi Arabia

BAGHDAD/RIYADH  

The number of coronavirus cases increased Saturday to 110 in Iraq while the figure reached 103 in Saudi Arabia.

The Iraqi Health Ministry said 36 people recovered from the virus known as COVID-19 but acknowledged the death toll stands at nine.

In Saudi Arabia, health officials confirmed 17 new cases of the virus there, according to its official news agency.

Four of the cases were Saudi citizens who returned from Iran and one from Italy, the agency reported.

The virus thought to have originated in Wuhan, China last December has spread to 135 countries and territories.

The global death toll from the virus has surpassed 5,300 with more than 142,000 cases confirmed worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.