Qatar confirms f irst virus death among World Cup workforce

World Cup organizers in Qatar reported the first coronavirus death of a worker involved in construction of 2022 tournament venues on Thursday.

A source close to the Qatari tournament organizers told AFP that 1,102 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed among workers at tournament projects with 121 infections still active.

First reported by the newly relaunched Doha News, a site popular among expatriates in Qatar, the victim was an engineer in his fifties who had no underlying medical conditions.

Qatar has one of the highest per capita infection rates in the world with 3.3 percent of its 2.75 million population having tested positive. Most have since recovered with only 17,591 active cases reported in the latest official statistics alongside 104 deaths.

“Sadly, on June 11, 2020, a 51-year-old specialist engineer employed by the contractor Conspel, tragically died after contracting COVID-19,” the Qatari organization responsible for organizing the 2022 tournament said in a statement.

“He had worked on Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy projects since October 2019 and had no underlying health issues. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

His nationality was not disclosed. The Qatari organizers reported the first infections among its workforce on April 15 with five cases across three stadium projects.

Work continues at 2022 sites but has slowed to allow virus containment measures including screening and social distancing to be observed with Qatari officials saying preparations are nevertheless more than 80 percent complete.