Iraqi MOH warns of COVID-19 cases surge with decreased weather temperatures

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment expected on Tuesday an increase in COVID-19 case counts in the upcoming weeks as the temperature decreases, warning the noncompliant Institutes from an immediate shutdown.

The ministry said in a statement, "over the past period, some citizens exhibited loose compliance to the preventive measures. We noticed a lack of commitment to wearing masks and abundant human gatherings, as if the pandemic has ended in our country and no longer poses a threat to their lives."

The statement added, "the pandemic continues to spread in our country and neighboring countries, and the daily infection rates and the number of deaths and critical cases is proof for the underestimation and negligence of preventive measures, given that all scientific data predicted a significant increase in cases in the upcoming weeks as a result of lower temperatures."

As in the statement, the Ministry directed the supervisory health teams to "intensify their inspection visits to restaurants, cafes, malls and all facilities that witness human gatherings and assess the extent of their commitment to the preventive measures. The teams were ordered to immediately close any facility that violates the preventive measures in implementation of Article 46 of the Public Health Law 89 of 1981 which authorizes the Ministry Or whoever is authorized to take adequate measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic, including closing shops, cafes, restaurants, and others."

The statement noted, "the health teams in Baghdad and other governorates will carry out large operations by taking swabs from citizens, especially in areas with high infection rates," urging, "the citizens to cooperate with health teams that work to serve them and ensure their health."