A man walks in an empty Souk al-Hamidieh, as restrictions are imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Damascus, Syria, March 24, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Omar Sanadiki.

Syria reported 20 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, the largest single-day increase to date, the Health Ministry said.

The war-torn country has recorded 106 infections and four deaths so far, and new cases have increased in recent days with the return of Syrians from abroad, the ministry said.

Syria has kept an overnight curfew in place, but has begun to open some of its economy after a lockdown.

Doctors and relief groups worry that medical infrastructure ravaged by nine years of conflict would make a more serious outbreak deadly and difficult to fend off.

Health Minister Nizar Yazigi said last week that “coercive and unfair” Western sanctions were hitting medical services needed to cope with coronavirus and he called for their removal.