Coronavirus cases spike in region

Twenty-four-hour curfew in Makkah, Madinah

ABU DHABI, April 4, (Agencies): UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention said a person has died of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on Friday, bringing to nine the death toll in the country.

The latest victim is a 51-year-old national of Asian country who suffered from a pre-existing disease and kidney failure, according to a press release from the ministry.

The infections surged by 240 to 1,264 in the past 24 hours while recoveries went up by 12 to 108.

The ministry attributed the surge in infections to lukewarm response to the preventive measures, including the social distancing.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health launched a new smart phone application that would make sure people asked to selfquarantine adher to mandatory quarantine requirements.

The department, in a press release, said the “Stay Home” applicaiton aimed at protecting those in self-quarantine and the community, and ensured they do not come into contact with other people during their quarantine period, thereby maximising the benefit of self-quarantine procedures.

The app, it said, is part of the department’s constant commitment to limiting spread of coronavirus and among the series of comprehensives measures and preventative actions taken to safeguard the health and safety of the community.

The app, which can be downloaded through Google Play and the Apple Store, sends alerts that inform users to stay within the range of movement allowed during the quarantine period.

Bahrain

Bahrain’s Ministry of Health said Friday 29 people tested positive for coronavirus to increase total cases to 286, while one person recovered.

The ministry said in a statement on its Twitter account 22 of the new cases were citizens who came from Iran, four foreigners and three who were in close contact with alreadyinfected persons.

Qatar

The Qatari Ministry of Public Health said Friday 126 persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours while 21 patients have recovered.

The new figures took to 1,075 the total number of infections and 93 the recoveries, according to a statement by the ministry.

The newly identified cases involve returnees from abroad and some expatriates who were in contact with COVID-19 patients; all of them were kept in quarantine.

The ministry is working to increase the daily test capacity of laboratories in order to speed up the detection of potential infections, the statement added.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Interior Ministry said it was imposing a 24-hour curfew in Makkah and Madinah as of Thursday until a further notice, part of the Kingdom’s efforts to curb spread of coronavirus.

The ministry said in a statement, cited by the official SPA news agency, the curfew was in compliance with instructions of the health authorities for the sake of wellbeing of inhabitants of Makkah and Madinah.

Those working in vital departments in public and private sectors are excluded from the curfew, as well as people who want to buy food or seek medical care.

Saudi Arabia Friday said number of deaths due to coronavirus jumped to 25 while infections rose to 2,039.

Ministry of Health spokesman Dr Mohammad Al-Abdulaali said four people died of the virus to increase fatalities to 25.

He added in a press briefing that 154 new cases tested positive for the virus, three of them came from abroad and the others were in close contact with previously-infected people.

Meanwhile, the spokesman said 23 new cases recovered from the virus to increase recoveries to 351.

Saudi authorities, Friday, extended the hours of curfew in Dammam and Taif cities as well as Al-Qatif governorate, beginning from 3:00 pm and ending at 6:00 am local-time.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the new curfew hours, imposed by the Interior Ministry, came to boost efforts to counter the spread of the coronavirus.

Saudi Interior Ministry said it was imposing a 24-hour curfew in Makkah and Madinah as of from Thursday until a further notice.

Iraq

Iraq’s ministry of health said Friday 48 people tested positive with the coronavirus to increase number of patients to 820.

It added in a statement 12 infectees were in Thi Qar governorate, 11 in Sulaimaniya, nine in Al-Najaf and the rest in other areas.

No death was reported in the past 24 hours, said the ministry, and total recoveries stood at 226.

There are already 54 deaths in the country.

Iran

Iranian authorities said Friday that deaths due to the coronavirus reached 134, bringing the total succumbing to the global-spreading virus to 3,294.

A media official said that the number of those contracting COVID-19 reached 53,183 in the country after 2,715 new cases were uncovered.

Iran is one of the global hotspots that was heavily affected by the fast-spreading virus.

Oman

The Sultanate of Oman announced, Friday, the discovery of 21 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 252.

According to the Oman News Agency (ONA), the number of cases recovering from the coronavirus was at 57 with one death.

Last Tuesday, Omani authorities took the decision to relieve most public sector employees from working unless their job required their presence.

Lebanon

Lebanon declared on Friday 14 new coronavirus infection cases, raising the total number of people contaminated with the pandemic to 508.

Lebanese Ministry of Health said in a statement a new fatality was recorded, bringing death toll from the contagion to 17.

Public Rafic Al-Hariri Hospital has recently reported 46 people have recovered from the disease.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army warned in a statement against breaching state of general mobilization, declared as part of measures to face coronavirus.

Authorities have shut down the airport, land border checkpoints, seaports and barred citizens from venturing out from 7:00 pm until 5:00 am.

Egypt

At least 17 medics in Egypt’s main cancer hospital have been quarantined after testing positive for the coronavirus, officials said Saturday, raising fears the pandemic could prey on health facilities in the Arab world’s most populous country.

Egypt has reported around 1,000 confirmed cases and 66 fatalities from the global pandemic. Authorities have closed schools and mosques, banned public gatherings and imposed a nighttime curfew to prevent the virus from spreading among the population of 100 million, a fifth of whom live in the densely-populated capital, Cairo.

Dr Hatem Abu el-Kassem, the director of the National Cancer Institute, said three doctors and 12 nurses tested positive for the virus. He said all other health workers at the facility, which is affiliated with Cairo University and treats hundreds of cancer patients every day, would be tested. The university later said a total of 17 health workers tested positive.

Tunisia

Tunisia Friday said 40 people tested positive of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours to increase infectees to 495.

The ministry of health said in a statement number of deaths rose to 18 with 1,655 people still in quarantine.

It urged people to remain indoors in order to help prevent spread of the virus.

Morocco

Moroccan Ministry of Health said Friday 15 people have recovered from the coronavirus to increase total recoveries to 49.

It added in a statement number of cases with the virus increased by 47 to register 735.

Jordan

Jordan imposed for a second time a comprehensive curfew that began at midnight on Thursday / Friday for a period of 24 hours in order to help health authorities reach all those in contact with coronavirus or under investigation cases, which was discovered lately.

This measure coincides with the rise in the number of the coronavirus infections to 299 after 14 days of a comprehensive curfew imposed by the government for the first time and lasted for four consecutive days before lifting it partially to allow the provision of basic needs ten days ago.

According to Jordan Minister of Information, government spokesman, Amjad Al-Adayleh, in a press conference Thursday, the under investigation operation, which requires everyone at their homes is not the only reason for imposing a comprehensive curfew again.

OIC

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said Thursday it allocated $730 million to support member countries affected by the coronavirus.

OIC said in a statement it was closely following the humanitarian, health, economic and social ramifications of coronavirus around the world in general and in member countries in particular.

OIC Secretary General Dr Yusuf AlOthaimeen said the funding was part of the service for the Islamic world.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker has contracted the new coronavirus, the country’s highest-ranking government figure yet to catch the disease, while in Israel, several top officials entered quarantine when the health minister tested positive on Thursday.