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CAIRO, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iran surpassed 255,000 on Saturday while Saudi Arabia's tally of coronavirus infections approached 230,000.

Iran, the hardest-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East region, reported 2,397 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 255,117.

The country also reported 188 new deaths from the virus, raising the death toll to 12,653. A total of 217,666 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 3,338 still in critical condition.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia announced 2,994 new cases and 30 more deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 229,480 and the death toll to 2,181.

The kingdom also reported 2,370 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 165,396.

In Turkey, the tally of coronavirus infections climbed to 211,981, up by 1,016 in the past 24 hours, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 5,344 after 21 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, he said, adding that 1,334 more patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 193,217.

In Qatar, 498 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, bringing the total number to 103,128, of whom 146 have died and 98,934 recovered.

Egypt's coronavirus cases continued the slowdown trend to reach 81,158 after 923 new infections were added.

The Egyptian Health Ministry also reported 67 more deaths and 602 cases of recoveries, increasing the death toll to 3,769 and the total recoveries to 23,876.

Iraq confirmed 2,734 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of infections to 75,194.

The country also reported 95 deaths and 1,699 recoveries from the coronavirus during the day, bringing the death toll to 3,055 and the total recoveries in Iraq to 43,079.

Oman's Ministry of Health announced 1,083 new cases of infections, taking the tally of COVID-19 cases in the country to 54,697, including 248 deaths and 35,255 recoveries.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the tally of coronavirus infections rose to 54,453 with 403 new cases, including 331 deaths.

The total number of recoveries from the virus in the UAE increased to 44,648 after 679 more fully recovered.

In Kuwait, the total number of coronavirus infections reached 54,058 after 478 new cases were added, of whom 386 have died and 43,961 recovered.

Israel reported 1,197 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of coronavirus infections to 37,463.

The deaths from the virus in Israel increased to 354 while the recoveries rose to 18,814.

Algeria said that 470 new cases of infections were reported in the past 24 hours, taking the tally of infections to 18,708, while the death toll hit 1,004 and the recoveries reached 13,375.

In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 15,542 after 214 new cases were added, which included 245 fatalities and 12,065 recoveries.

Sudan registered 46 new infections, increasing the tally of coronavirus cases in the country to 10,250 with 650 deaths and 5,341 recoveries.

Palestine reported 463 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections in the Palestinian territories to 6,688, including 36 deaths and 710 recoveries.

In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 86 to 2,168, while the death toll remained unchanged at 36.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 1,389 after nine new cases were added.

The number of recoveries in the government-controlled areas, including the southern port city of Aden, increased to 642 and the death toll climbed to 365.

Libya reported 47 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of infections in the country to 1,389, including 38 deaths and 340 recoveries.

Jordan registered three more infections, bringing the total coronavirus cases to 1,176, including 991 deaths and 10 recoveries. Enditem