CAIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Sunday began lifting some of the restrictive measures imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Iran announced that it will start vaccinating the groups most at risk on Tuesday.

Almost six weeks after entering a third nationwide lockdown, Israel lifted the ban on people from travelling more than 1,000 meters away from home, while some businesses were allowed to reopen.

But schools and kindergartens in Israel remained closed, and outgoing and incoming flights were still banned, except for exceptional cases.

Israel's Ministry of Health reported 3,610 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, raising the tally of confirmed cases in the country to 688,934.

The death toll from the COVID-19 in Israel reached 5,097 after 40 new fatalities were added, while the total recoveries rose to 617,819, with 9,187 newly recovered cases.

In Iran, Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki announced on Sunday that the vaccination against COVID-19 will start on Tuesday.

The inoculation will start with the population groups most at risk, including doctors and nurses working in contact with COVID-19 patients at the intensive care units, Namaki said.

Iran on Sunday announced 7,065 new COVID-19 cases, raising the country's overall count to 1,466,435, and 57 more deaths, the lowest daily figure since May, 2020, taking its total death toll to 58,469.

A total of 1,253,554 COVID-19 patients in Iran have so far recovered or been released from hospitals, with 3,789 still in intensive care units.

Turkey on Sunday confirmed 6,670 new COVID-19 cases, including 623 symptomatic patients, as the total number of positive cases in the country reached 2,531,456, according to its health ministry.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 112 to 26,797, while the total recoveries climbed to 2,440,706 after 8,201 more cases recovered in the last 24 hours.

The country started mass vaccination of health workers against COVID-19 on Jan. 14 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese CoronaVac vaccine. More than 2,612,000 people have been vaccinated so far.

The Iraqi Health Ministry reported on Sunday 1,134 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 628,550. The coronavirus death toll in Iraq rose by nine to 13,120, while the total recoveries climbed by 1,026 to 600,193.

Iraqi Minister of Health Hassan al-Tamimi said that the ministry would present new recommendations to the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, to control the spread of the virus.

The recommendations will include preventing gatherings such as collective prayers in mosques, wedding and funeral ceremonies, and imposing rules on wearing masks when visiting holy shrines, he said.

Morocco announced on Sunday 389 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country to 475,355.

The number of recoveries from the coronavirus in Morocco increased to 454,504 after 583 more were added, while the death toll rose by 13 to 8,394, the Moroccan Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed 3,093 new COVID-19 cases and seven more deaths, raising its total cases to 326,495 and its death toll to 921. The tally of recoveries in the UAE soared by 4,678 to 305,759.

Lebanon registered 2,081 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 319,917, Lebanon's Health Ministry reported.

The total number of deaths from the virus went up by 54 to 3,616 in the country, while the tally of recoveries increased by 5,386 to 206,523.

Kuwait reported 962 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 170,998 and the death toll to 966, the Kuwaiti Health Ministry announced.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 445 more patients, taking the total recoveries in Kuwait to 161,538, noting 8,494 coronavirus patients are receiving treatment.

The Omani Health Ministry reported 633 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the sultanate to 135,674. The tally of recoveries in Oman increased by 432 to 127,698, while the death toll rose by two to 1,534.

In Qatar, the health ministry announced 408 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the Gulf state to 154,098.

The total recoveries from the virus in Qatar surged by 151 to 146,910, while its death toll remained unchanged at 250 for the third consecutive day. Enditem

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