COVID-19 cases increase 'eightfold' in Kirkuk

Kirkuk, Iraq — Kirkuk hospitals are struggling with a recent "eightfold" increase in COVID-19 cases. 

Hospitals are at full capacity and are running out of oxygen.

Patients infected with COVID-19 are also at risk of contracting black fungus, a doctor told Rudaw. 

"Recently, the number of deaths has risen dramatically," said Dr Murad Adnan. 

"Coronavirus has reached a critical stage in Kirkuk, the Kurdistan Region, and Iraq. In the past few weeks, 5 percent of tests were positive. Currently, it is between 35 and 40 percent. The number of positive cases has increased eightfold compared with a few weeks ago," said Dr Sabah Namiq, manager of the public health department. 

Only four percent of Kirkuk residents have been vaccinated, according to the provincial health directorate. 

There are plans to open more hospitals and treatment centres for COVID-19 patients. 

Translation and video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed