CAIRO, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- The tally of COVID-19 cases in Iran is to exceed 1 million after consecutive daily increases of over 13,000 new infections. Meanwhile, Turkey and Morocco keep witnessing fast spread of the virus.

Iran's Health Ministry reported 13,621 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the total nationwide number to 989,572.

The pandemic has so far claimed 48,990 lives in Iran, the worst-hit in the Middle East, up by 362 in the past 24 hours, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

A total of 688,054 people have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, while 5,828 remain in intensive care units, she added.

Turkey recorded 31,923 COVID-19 new cases, including 6,690 symptomatic patients, as the total number of symptomatic COVID-19 patients in the country hit 513,656, its health ministry announced.

The death toll from the virus rose by 193 to 14,129, while the recoveries climbed to 414,141 after 4,821 more patients recovered in the last 24 hours.

The Iraqi Health Ministry reported 1,961 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 556,728.

It also reported 34 new deaths and 1,743 more recovered cases in the country, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 12,340 and the total recoveries to 486,313.

Iraqi President Barham Salih stressed the need for "continuing communication with countries and companies that announced the production of vaccines to ensure access to the vaccines for the benefit of all citizens."

Morocco announced 4,346 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country since March 2 to 364,190.

The number of recoveries from the coronavirus in Morocco increased to 314,237 after 4,044 more were added, while the death toll rose by 70 to 5,985. And 991 patients are in intensive care units.

The COVID-19 fatality rate in Morocco stands at 1.6 percent while the recovery rate is 86.3 percent.

According to Morocco's official news agency MAP, Japan has approved a 200-million-U.S.-dollar budget support loan to help Morocco mitigate the adverse health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

Israel reported 1,357 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 339,318. The number of deaths reached 2,883 with six new fatalities, while the number of patients in serious condition increased from 264 to 284, out of 534 currently hospitalized. The number of recoveries rose to 325,145.

Kuwait reported 268 new COVID-19 cases and one more death, raising the tally of infections to 143,260 and the death toll to 882 in the country.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced the recovery of 509 more patients, taking the total recoveries to 138,134.

Oman's health ministry said in a statement that the infections climbed by 237 cases to 124,145 while the death toll stood at 1,430. Altogether 115,613 cases have recovered.

The country's Supreme Committee tasked with COVID-19 pandemic has allowed cinemas, parks, beaches and tourist attractions to reopen, the official Oman News Agency reported.

According to an interior ministry decision, food courts, kindergartens and nurseries, exhibition halls, conference rooms, game arcades and parlors, shops selling and renting camping equipment, visa application centers and rehabilitation and treatment clinics in the Sultanate will also be allowed to reopen.

The Qatari health ministry announced 255 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 139,256.

Meanwhile, 207 more recovered from the virus, bringing the overall recoveries to 136,513, while the fatalities increased by one to 239.

Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said the ministry has recorded 103,574 cases, including 854 deaths, 79,384 recoveries, and 23,336 receiving medical care, in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decided to extend the state of emergency for another month to combat the spread of coronavirus in the Palestinian territories.

Osama al-Najjar, director of the medical service in the Palestinian health ministry, said that the government intends to tighten the anti-coronavirus measures "soon," including a comprehensive lockdown. Enditem

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