Pandemic Death Toll in Region Tops 50,000

The Middle East has suffered more than 50,000 confirmed deaths that can be attributed to the coronavirus pandemic, the Associated Press reports, citing official statistics from around the region as of Thursday. Iran alone accounts for more than two-fifths of the deaths, listing 129 new fatalities in the previous 24 hours, bringing the country’s total to 21,926. One Middle Eastern country seeing a spike in the pandemic is Israel. Health officials took note when the daily number of new infections topped 2,000 for several days running this week, but the figure given for the 24-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday topped 3,000. On Wednesday, hospitals were treating 426 patients described as being in serious condition; on Thursday, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem issued findings predicting that the number would jump by more than 40% within two weeks, seriously stretching hospital resources. Health officials meanwhile announced seven more deaths between Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the national total to 976. With Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, quickly approaching, the country’s so-called coronavirus czar says he is weighing the possibility of placing several hard-hit cities and towns under total lockdown.