Baghdad, Nov 5 (IANS): The Iraqi Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 8,479 more recoveries from Covid-19, the highest in a single day since the outbreak of the disease, pushing up the total number of recoveries in the country to 417,235.

Meanwhile, 3,574 new Covid-19 cases were detected during the day, bringing the total nationwide infections to 485,870, according to a ministry statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

The new cases included 1,198 in the capital Baghdad, 392 in Erbil, 287 in Sulaimaniyah, 283 in Duhok, 213 in Kirkuk, and 206 in Nineveh, the statement said.

The ministry also reported 60 new deaths, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 11,128.

A total of 2,931,341 tests for Covid-19 have been carried out across the country since the outbreak in February, with 18,523 done during the day, according to the statement.

Iraq has taken a series of measures to contain the pandemic since February when the first coronavirus case appeared in the country.

China has been helping Iraq fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad.

Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq.