2 batches of China-donated vaccines arrive in Lebanon; Turkey records highest 49,584 daily COVID-19 cases

Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian (R) and Elias el-Chamiyeh, representing Lebanese Armed Forces Commander Joseph Aoun, show a Chinese vaccines donation agreement at the Rafic Hariri International Airport, on April 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

-- 2 batches of China-donated vaccines arrive in Lebanon;

-- Turkey records highest 49,584 daily COVID-19 cases;

-- Iran's nationwide caseload rises to 1,963,394;

-- Iraq reports highest 7,300 daily COVID-19 cases.

CAIRO, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Two batches of Sinopharm vaccines donated by China arrived in Lebanon on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Turkey reported 49,584 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily record in the country since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian said that China offered the two batches of vaccines for the Lebanese government and army respectively, which demonstrates the deep friendship between the Chinese and Lebanese governments, armies, and peoples.

Lebanese Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan said that the vaccines will be allocated to the Lebanese army, customs, social security, and different public departments and ministries.

Lebanon's total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 482,798 with the addition of 2,296 new cases on Tuesday, while its death toll from the virus went up by 36 to 6,479.

A woman receives the COVID-19 vaccine in Ankara, Turkey, on April 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

Turkey's total number of coronavirus infections surged to 3,579,185 with the addition of the record high 49,584 cases.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 211 to 32,667, while the total recoveries climbed to 3,159,475 after 28,498 patients more recovered in the last 24 hours.

Iran reported 17,430 new COVID-19 cases as the country is facing the fourth wave of the pandemic, raising its nationwide caseload to 1,963,394.

The pandemic has so far claimed 63,506 lives in Iran, up by 174 in the past 24 hours. A total of 1,667,079 people have recovered from the disease or been discharged from hospitals across the country, while 4,138 remained in intensive care units.

A health worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a health center in Baghdad, Iraq, March 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

The Iraqi Ministry of Health reported 7,300 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily spike since the outbreak of the pandemic, raising the total infections in Iraq to 887,291.

It also said 33 new deaths were recorded during the day, raising the death toll from the virus to 14,535, while the total recoveries in Iraq climbed by 5,225 to 789,424.

In Israel, 357 new COVID-19 cases were reported, raising the total infections in the country to 834,920.

The death toll from the virus in Israel rose by 12 to 6,257, while the total recoveries in the country climbed by 452 to 823,732.

The number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Israel surpassed 5.28 million, or 56.8 percent of its total population.

Kuwait reported 1,403 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total infections in the country to 239,952.

It also announced eight more fatalities, taking the death toll to 1,373, while the tally of recoveries rose by 1,432 to 224,701.

People wearing face masks walk on a street in Marrakech, Morocco, on April 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Chadi)

Morocco's COVID-19 caseload rose to 499,025 after 696 new cases were registered, while its death toll increased by eight to 8,865 and its tally of recoveries surged by 546 to 485,708.

A total of 4,382,917 people have received so far the first vaccine shot against COVID-19 in the North African country, while 3,992,324 people have received the second dose.

Qatar announced 927 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 185,261.

A total of 512 more patients recovered from the virus during the day, bringing the overall recoveries in Qatar to 166,953, while its overall fatalities increased by six to 312.

In Oman, 1,208 new COVID-19 infections were announced, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the sultanate to 165,482.

Oman's tally of recoveries soared by 764 to 148,303, while six more deaths were reported, pushing the country's COVID-19 death toll up to 1,728.