Healthcare workers on a break in Sadr City, Baghdad, on May 21, 2020. Reuters
Healthcare workers on a break in Sadr City, Baghdad, on May 21, 2020. Reuters
Healthcare workers on a break in Sadr City, Baghdad, on May 21, 2020. Reuters
Healthcare workers on a break in Sadr City, Baghdad, on May 21, 2020. Reuters

World

Coronavirus: warnings mount in Iraq of unmanageable onslaught

Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi says government has fighting chance to avoid what officials call catastrophe

Khaled Yacoub Oweis
Khaled Yacoub Oweis
Jordan

May 25, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

A member of a special parliamentary committee to counter the coronavirus in Iraq is predicting a “catastrophe”, as warnings mount over lack of compliance with containment measures.

But Mustafa Al Kadhimi, the Iraqi Prime Minister, struck a cautiously optimistic note on Sunday, saying Iraq could still avoid complete loss of control in the fight against the pandemic.

Scepticism of official data on the spread of coronavirus is widespread in Iraq.

The Health Ministry on Sunday announced the biggest single daily jump in cases to 308, for a total of 4,200 infections.

Healthcare workers gather in a street during testing for the coronavirus in Sadr City district of Baghdad, Iraq May 21, 2020. Reuters
Healthcare workers gather in a street during testing for the coronavirus in Sadr City district of Baghdad, Iraq May 21, 2020. Reuters

Crisis Cell member Ali Al Lami said that Iraq “will be subjected to a big catastrophe".

The Iraqi Parliament formed the 24-member Crisis Cell in March to monitor government strategy against the coronavirus and propose solutions to the executive branch.

“A high number of cases could be recorded because of lack of adherence to health ministry measures and to the curfews,” Mr Al Lami said.

The authorities should take “strict action against the violators”, he said.

Mr Al Lami said an open-ended curfew across the country should be imposed, beyond the curfew for Eid Al Fitr focusing on Baghdad.

Coronavirus testing in Sadr City, Baghdad, on 21, 2020. Reuters
Coronavirus testing in Sadr City, Baghdad, on 21, 2020. Reuters

Last week, Baghdad Governor Jaber Al Ata said the pandemic was spreading rapidly in the capital.

Mr Al Ata expected that Baghdad hospitals would soon be unable to cope because the public was not adhering to the rules.

Mr Al Kadhimi visited Baghdad’s main hospital on Sunday.

He said Iraq “has the chance of success in bypassing the health crisis despite the economic challenges”.

“The government is working under difficult and overwhelming economic conditions,” Mr Al Kadhimi said.

But he said he was still “confident of bypassing the coronavirus crisis".

Parliament confirmed Mr Al Kadhimi as prime minister two and half weeks ago, as the authorities said they discovered “contagion enclaves” in the capital.

A deserted motorway in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
A deserted motorway in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP
The courtyard and surrounding roads of the closed Grand Camlica Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images
The courtyard and surrounding roads of the closed Grand Camlica Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images
A deserted beach in Egypt's northern Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria. AFP
A deserted beach in Egypt's northern Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria. AFP
Algerian police officers block the access in central Algiers. Algeria's government announced earlier this week it is reinforcing curfew restrictions imposed nationwide to limit the spread of the coronavirus. AP Photo
Algerian police officers block the access in central Algiers. Algeria's government announced earlier this week it is reinforcing curfew restrictions imposed nationwide to limit the spread of the coronavirus. AP Photo
A family takes a selfie in a deserted square of Algiers. AP Photo
A family takes a selfie in a deserted square of Algiers. AP Photo
A deserted street in Moroccan capital Rabat, as the country is put under lockdown. AFP
A deserted street in Moroccan capital Rabat, as the country is put under lockdown. AFP
A deserted street in Moroccan capital Rabat, as the country is under lockdown to tackle the coronavirus. AFP
A deserted street in Moroccan capital Rabat, as the country is under lockdown to tackle the coronavirus. AFP
A closed cinema during Eid in Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A closed cinema during Eid in Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
An amusement park is seen empty during the first day of Eid in Amman, Jordan. Reuters
An amusement park is seen empty during the first day of Eid in Amman, Jordan. Reuters
A deserted amusement park during the first day of Eid in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
A deserted amusement park during the first day of Eid in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
A nearly empty street in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. EPA
A nearly empty street in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. EPA
Senior citizens, after having been on lockdown, are allowed to venture outdoors and enjoy the Bosphorus shoreline for a part of the first day of Eid in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images
Senior citizens, after having been on lockdown, are allowed to venture outdoors and enjoy the Bosphorus shoreline for a part of the first day of Eid in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images
Palestinian policemen wearing face masks patrol to prevent people from gathering in front of the sea of Gaza, in the occupied Gaza City, Gaza Strip. EPA
Palestinian policemen wearing face masks patrol to prevent people from gathering in front of the sea of Gaza, in the occupied Gaza City, Gaza Strip. EPA
An Iraqi grocer waits for customers at his road side stall in Baghdad's Sadriya district, Iraq. EPA
An Iraqi grocer waits for customers at his road side stall in Baghdad's Sadriya district, Iraq. EPA
A Jordanian police officer works at a checkpoint during the first day of Eid in Amman, Jordan. Reuters
A Jordanian police officer works at a checkpoint during the first day of Eid in Amman, Jordan. Reuters

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