At least 52 people have been killed in a fire at the coronavirus isolation ward of a hospital in Iraq.

The local health authority’s spokesperson, said early 52 bodies have been retrieved while 22 people are hurt after the fire had “ripped through the Covid isolation ward”.

The fire broke out at the Al-Hussein hospital in the southern city of Nasiriya and was brought under control by civil defence teams.

A medical source with the health directorate the “main reason behind the fire was the explosion of oxygen tanks”.