DAMASCUS, May 25 (Reuters) - Syria reported 20 new cases ofthe novel coronavirus on Monday, the largest single-day increaseto date, the health ministry said.
The war-torn country has recorded 106 infections and fourdeaths so far, and new cases have increased in recent days withthe return of Syrians from abroad, the ministry said.
Syria has kept an overnight curfew in place but has begun toopen some of its economy after a lockdown. Doctors and reliefgroups worry that medical infrastructure ravaged by nine yearsof conflict would make a more serious outbreak deadly anddifficult to fend off.
Health Minister Nizar Yazigi said last week that "coerciveand unfair" Western sanctions were hitting medical servicesneeded to cope with coronavirus and he called for their removal.
(Reporting by Kinda MakiehWriting by Eric Knecht; Editing by Angus MacSwan) ((eric.knecht@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging:eric.knecht.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
