CAIRO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday donated medical aid to Iraq as part of its efforts to help the country cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. In Iran, a senior cleric died from the virus as the death toll climbed to 853.

In a ceremony held at the Chinese embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a China medical team handed over a batch of medical aid to Iraq as part of China's contribution to its fight against the epidemic.

Tao Zhongquan, head of the Chinese expert team, delivered the aid, including lab equipment and medical supplies, to Hassan al-Tamimi, director general of the Medical City facility in Baghdad.

"The goal of the visit of the Chinese expert team to Baghdad is to share Chinese experiences with their Iraqi counterparts," Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao said, adding that a new laboratory will be established to diagnose the novel coronavirus next week.

Zhang revealed that the Chinese government is preparing for delivering more medical aid to Iraq.

Tao said that, in light of China's success in controlling the outbreak of coronavirus, his team was sent to Iraq to help share China's expertise and experience with Iraq "in order to make joint efforts to confront this virus."

Al-Tamimi hailed China's efforts to help Iraq, looking forwarding to increasing cooperation in training Iraqi medical personnel on treating the viral respiratory disease, as China has great experience in its treatment and diagnosis.

Iraq's Health Ministry on Monday confirmed one more death from COVID-19 and six new cases, bringing the total number of the infected in the country to 133.

In Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, 1,053 more COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 14,991, of whom 853 have died and 4,996 have recovered.

Ayatollah Seyed Hashem Bathaee, 78, a member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts, died from COVID-19 in Qom city where the first cases of the novel coronavirus in Iran were detected on Feb. 19. At least 25 Iranian officials and lawmakers have so far been infected with the viral respiratory disease.

The Assembly of Experts is a high-ranking legal institution that elects and oversees the activities of the supreme leader in Iran.

As part of the latest efforts to stem the raging epidemic, the Iranian government on Monday closed the Shiite shrines in the religious cities of Mashhad, Qom and Shahr-e-Rey. They will be closed at least until March 25.

In Manama, the Bahraini Health Ministry confirmed that a 65-year-old Bahraini woman has died due to the COVID-19 infection, who was the first such death recorded in the country. The total number of confirmed cases in Bahrain reached 221, of whom 77 have recovered.

Qatar, the worst-hit Arab country, on Monday reported 38 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases to 439.

In Israel, the Ministry of Health announced that a total of 85 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 298, including four in serious condition.

In Ankara, Turkey reported 12 new cases of COVID-19, as the total number of confirmed rose to 18. The new cases included seven from Europe, three from the United States, and two people who had contact with the first case, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

Kuwait's Health Ministry announced 11 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 123.

In Beirut, 10 new COVID-19 cases were reported, as the total number of the confirmed cases increased to 109. The streets of the Lebanese capital were almost empty as the government imposed a state of health emergency, shutting down most businesses, except for pharmacies and medical facilities.

In Cairo, the Egyptian Health Ministry denied the report by British media that 19,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus in Egypt, noting that it "immediately transparently announces any new cases of the novel coronavirus in coordination with the World Health Organization."

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said that Egypt will suspend all passenger flights to and from its airports from March 19 to March 31 in a bid to prevent the COVID-19 spread.

Saudi Arabia announced the suspension of government agencies for 16 days, excluding health, security, and military sectors. The government also ordered the closure of markets and malls, barbershops and beauty salons, except for pharmacies and food supply companies.

In Rabat, Morocco decided to close restaurants, clubs, cinemas and gyms, as well all mosques. Minister of Tourism Nadia Fettah Alaoui said that nearly 100 special flights have been authorized to repatriate thousands of stranded Europeans in Morocco.

In Khartoum, Sudan declared a state of health emergency to fight the coronavirus, as a higher committee was set up to work out the measures to prevent the virus' outbreak, which has already killed one person in the country.

In Algiers, Algeria announced a decision to suspend all air and maritime links with the European continent and all flights to and from six African nations, including Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.