Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic In The Middle East -- News Updates March 24 - 25, 2020

AFP: Iran announces record rise in coronavirus cases with 1,762 diagnosed in the last 24 hours bringing the total to 24,811 as deaths increase by 112 to 1,934

* Iran has diagnosed 24,811 coronavirus cases - a record increase of 1,762 in a day
* Death toll rose to 1,934, though serious doubts have been raised over reliability
* Dead included Ayatollah Khamenei's son's mother-in-law, state news reported
* Iran is the worst-hit country in Middle East, which has 31,000 confirmed cases

Iran announced a record surge in the number of coronavirus cases diagnosed overnight while confirmed deaths also climbed to almost 2,000.

The country - the hardest-hit in the Middle East - confirmed 1,762 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to at least 24,811.

Meanwhile deaths climbed by 112 to at least 1,934. Serious questions have been raised over the reliability of Iran's data after the country initially downplayed and tried to cover up the severity of the outbreak.

Iran, like most other coronavirus-hit countries, is also facing a shortfall of test kits which has hampered its ability to provide accurate figures.

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Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic In The Middle East -- News Updates March 24 - 25, 2020

Iran rejects 'foreign' help as virus death toll nears 2,000 -- Al Jazeera
Iran refuses US offer of aid -- BBC
War-torn Syria braces for lockdown after first virus case -- AP
Saudi Arabia reports first coronavirus death -- Al Jazeera
First death reported in Saudi Arabia -- BBC
Coronavirus outbreak will overwhelm Yemen’s health system: WHO -- Arab News
Yemen: Five years of war cripple coronavirus preparedness -- Reliefweb
Iraq, Lebanon confirm new coronavirus cases, deaths -- Anadolu Agency
Jordan arrests over 1,600 for breaking virus curfew -- AFP
Coronavirus: Jordan to deliver food after imposing indefinite curfew -- BBC
Turkey tightens restrictions to curb coronavirus outbreak -- Al-Monitor
Kuwait sees decline in COVID-19 infections -- Middle East Monitor
'1 mil. Israelis with coronavirus is conservative,' disease expert says -- Jerusalem Post
Israel reports 488 new virus cases in past 24 hours, the largest single-day jump -- Times of Israel
Gaza: Virus fears in crowded strip -- BBC