Iranian student, family of 4 are latest coronavirus cases in Iraq: Ministry

An Iranian student and a family of four people coming from Iran are the latest confirmed cases of coronavirus in Iraq, Iraq’s health ministry said on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infected people in Iraq to six.

The health ministry added that the four people are members of a family in Kirkuk governorate.

Iraq on Monday confirmed its first novel coronavirus case in an elderly Iranian national in the southern shrine city of Najaf, according to health officials.

Iraq, a country with a dilapidated healthcare system, often hosts pilgrims and religious students from Iran, where 15 people have died of the novel coronavirus since an outbreak there was first reported last week.