Have you missed the most important coronavirus (COVID-19) updates of the week on the coronavirus in Qatar Weekly Update? Every Thursday, we take a moment to bring you all the updates and latest developments in the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic in Qatar.
Here's what happened in Week 8. Read below to know more about what's happening in Qatar and how the government is trying to control the situation in Week 9.
Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, provided officials from the World Health Organisation (WHO) with an overview of Qatar’s strategy to contain and curb the spread of COVID-19, which has focused heavily on contact tracing to isolate, test, and treat as part of breaking the chain of transmission. Qatar has received global recognition for its efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic due to having one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) today announced the registration of 845 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), and the recovery of 129 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 1372.
Most of the new cases registered are due to expatriate workers in different occupations who have been in contact with previously discovered cases, as well as recording new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by the MoPH. This has contributed to the early detection of new cases.
The remainder of new cases infected with the virus have come from citizens and residents who have contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been to exposed to infected people.
His Excellency (H.E.) Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani chaired the cabinet's regular meeting held last night through video conference.
Following the meeting, H.E. Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr. Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi stated the following:
At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet heard the explanation given by HE the Minister of Public Health on the latest developments to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and affirmed the continuation of the precautionary measures to combat this epidemic, including the decision issued by the MoPH Qatar on 28 March 2020, requiring all private health facilities in the country to suspend non-emergency services.
The Cabinet then decided to extend the suspension of non-emergency medical services in private health facilities, including dental clinics, dermatology and laser clinics, plastic surgery clinics, and surgeries, with the exception of emergency cases.
It also decided to extend the suspension of services of diet and nutrition centers, physiotherapy clinics, complementary (alternative) medicine, home healthcare services, except for long-term nursing contracts, and health centers for people with special needs.
The cabinet decided that the MoPH may permit any of these private health facilities to provide some of their medical services if possible through modern means of communication.
The MoPH announced the registration of 643 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), and the recovery of 109 cases of the virus, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 1,243.
Most of the new cases registered were due to expatriate workers in different occupations who had been in contact with previously discovered cases, as well as recording new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by the MoPH. This had contributed to the early detection of new cases. The remainder of new cases infected with the virus have come from citizens and residents who have contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been to exposed to infected people. All the new infected cases were quarantined where they were receiving the necessary medical care. The MoPH stated that most of the coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are experiencing only mild symptoms.
Centrepoint's Barwa Plaza Mall store is now open again, fully stocked up, thoroughly sanitised and are also practicing the social distancing norms, and they are happy to be at your service again! Your safety is their top priority. That's why they are following all government regulations to ensure your safety and urge all customers to maintain social distancing and wear face masks while shopping, according to Shukran Qatar and Centrepoint.
In the times of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Qatar, it's important to stay safe, practice social distancing, wash hands regularly and help keep others safe as well. That's why the Ministry of Commerce and Industry published some tips on its Twitter Page, that we must all follow when we return home from grocery shopping these days.
These tips are as follows:
Director of the Public Health Department of the MoPH Dr. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani said that Qatar has so far designated 5 hospitals to care for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients along with 4 health centers for testing, examining and keeping suspected cases in addition to a hospital for medical isolation.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency, he said that 5 hospitals were designated to treat coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, which are the Communicable Disease Centre and Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, The Cuban Hospital, Mesaieed Hospital, and Ras Laffan Hospital, in addition to four health centres for testing, examining and keeping suspected cases, which are Gharafat Al Rayyan, Umm Salal, Muaither and Rawdat Al Khail Health Centres.
The MoPH announced the registration of 677 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), and the recovery of 68 cases of the disease, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 1134 cases.
Most of the new cases registered were due to expatriate workers working in different occupations who have been in contact with previously discovered cases, as well as recording new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by the MoPH. This has contributed to the early detection of new cases. The remainder of new cases infected with the virus were from citizens and residents who had contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been to exposed to infected people. All the new infected cases were quarantined where they were receiving the necessary medical care.
Given the current circumstances and efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the MOCI has said in a tweet that commercial registration and licenses with expiry date from March to June 2020 will be renewed automatically for a period of six months. However, due fees will be settled later.
Her Highness (H.H.) Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocate, Chairperson of Education Above All and Silatech, joined prominent leaders today in a global advocacy effort, "Rise for All," to support the UN Secretary-General's call for solidarity and urgent action in response to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, and to save lives and protect livelihoods, urging leaders in all countries, across all sectors, to address the human crisis of the pandemic.
Watch the UN video here:
Whenever you have to step out to go and buy groceries during the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic in Qatar, do remember to follow the steps below to ensure you stay safe, and those around you stay safe:
27 April 2020 01:30 pm
The MOPH announced the registration of 957 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the recovery of 54 cases, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 1,066. Most of the new cases registered were due to new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by the MoPH. This contributed to the early detection of new cases. The remainder of new cases infected with the virus came from citizens and residents who had contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been to exposed to infected people. With 54 new recovered cases, the total number of people to have recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19) in Qatar was 1,066.
To curb the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has urged motorists in Qatar to restrict themselves to two people in a private car, except for families.
Adherence to preventive measures to control the spread of #Covid_19 is a national and moral duty.
— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) April 24, 2020
Make sure to have no more than two individuals in your car except for families. #MoIQatar #Qatar #YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/4UgwBJnNCo
As a result of the interruption of large business sectors due to the precautionary measures taken by the government to confront and contain the emerging Coronavirus, there are many groups that are finding it difficult to provide for their daily nutritional needs. The precautionary measures implemented to curb the Coronavirus outbreak have effected many families who are struggling to cope with the repercussions of the pandemic.
Therefore, Qatar Charity provides food baskets to affected people after evaluating their needs and providing the required subsidy. This initiative is being undertaken through a simple procedure whereby the needs are estimated and the value of the subsidy is approved.
1. Click on the link: https://www.qcharity.org/en/qa/tafreejkorba/helprequest
2. Once you click the link, the following form will appear. Fill up the form and then press SEND.
3. Once approved, you will receive an SMS with an order number.
4. The concerned department will evaluate your needs, if you are eligible, you will receive a coupon number to redeem on food items from any Al Meera branch in Qatar.
Talabat, the food and grocery delivery app, is offering organisations more ways to reduce the financial strain on employees during coronavirus (COVID-19), through partnering with the platform.
The partnership will enable organisations’ employees to benefit from more free delivery options for restaurants and shops, as well as employee offers. The partnership, which is completely free for organisations and open to every organisation in Qatar, currently already offers benefits to more than 40,000 employees in Doha, Al Wakrah and Al Khor. Companies such as Qatar Airways and Qatar Petroleum have already joined. Initially, partnerships will run until the end of June.
The MoPH announced that the total number of patients to have recovered from coronavius (COVID-19) in Qatar reached 1012. The Ministry also announced the registration of 929 new cases of the virus. The Ministry stated that the total number of recovered cases reached 1012 after registering 83 new recovered cases. The MoPH also recorded 929 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19). Most of the new cases registered were due to expatriate workers that worked in different occupations who had been in contact with previously discovered cases, as well as recording new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by the MoPH. This contributed to the early detection of new cases. The remainder of new cases infected with the virus had come from citizens and residents who had contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been to exposed to infected people. All the new infected cases were quarantined where they were receiving the necessary medical care.
As part precautionary measures and preventative efforts undertaken by Qatar to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), with a specific focus on the safety of all workers in Qatar, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA), affirmed the responsibility of all employers to comply with the conditions and specifications for healthy and safe housing, so as one prevent the risk of infection or transmission.
The Ministry called on employers to implement the following procedures:
The MADLSA also affirmed that in implementation of Ministerial Decision No.18 of 2014 regarding the conditions and specifications for adequate housing for workers, the employer is obligated to the following:
Note that in the event of breaches of the occupational safety and health requirements in the housing, the applicable legal procedures will be applied, and exposure to the suspension of the company's registry at the Ministry.
The Ministry has allocated the hotline +974 40280660 for inquiries and reporting violations of workers' housing requirements.
The field visits and monitoring team of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) visited workers in some parts of the Industrial Area that were subject to quarantine, several quarantine places for workers in Umm Salal and Mesaieed, and some hotels designed for quarantine to identify the precautionary measures followed and quality health services provided to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
This came as a continuation of the NHRC visits program, which included in the previous stage penal institutions and places of detention. The program will continue during the coming days to include many institutions and bodies concerned with the application of precautionary measures approved by the official authorities to contain COVID-19.
Qatar has witnessed a substantial improvement in air quality over the past few weeks, say scientists at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). According to the team at QEERI's Environment and Sustainability Center (ESC), this change is, in large part, a result of social distancing policies the State of Qatar has put in place to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
QEERI operates a network of five air quality monitoring stations strategically located across greater Doha, where approximately 95% of the country's population lives.
The MoPH announced the registration of 833 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) bringing the total number of positive cases in Qatar to date to 9358, and stated that 120 more people had recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of people that had recovered in Qatar to 929.
Most of the new cases registered were due to expatriate workers that worked in different occupations who had been in contact with previously discovered cases, as well as recording new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by The MoPH. This contributed to the early detection of new cases. The remainder of new cases infected with the virus came from citizens and residents who had contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been exposed to infected people. All the new infected cases were quarantined where they were receiving the necessary medical care.
Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, MoPH Qatar, said that the official opening of Ras Laffan and Mesaieed Hospitals today increases the health system’s capacity to care for the sickest coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in Qatar, adding that the country is able to expand its health system’s capacity even further if the need arises.
The official opening of the two new COVID-19 treatment facilities, located in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed, comes as part of efforts to ensure sufficient capacity to care for patients with COVID-19. The new hospitals join Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, The Cuban Hospital, and the Communicable Disease Centre as dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities.
Her Excellency Dr. Al Kuwari explained that the opening of these new hospitals increases the health system’s capacity by over 400 acute beds for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients and that the country is able to expand that even further if the need arises.
The MoPH announced the registration of 761 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the recovery of 59 cases, bringing the total number of recovered cases in Qatar to 809. Most of the new cases were for expatriate workers most of who had been subject to quarantine, after it was found that they were in contact with confirmed cases. All new infected cases were put into isolation and were receiving the necessary medical care. With the registration of 59 new recovered cases, the total number people to have recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19) in Qatar reached 809.
The MADLSA penalised two major construction companies in Lusail, due to their lack of commitment to the directives issued by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a statement, the ministry stated that the two companies were penalized for not adhering to the precautionary measures that the maximum number of workers and employees in buses does not exceed 50% of the number of seats on the bus, and provide safe distances between workers when boarding and getting off the buses, and therefore they were referred to the security authorities to take the necessary action regarding them. This came in the context of the inspection campaigns carried out by labour inspectors at the MADLSA to ensure companies adhere to the necessary precautions.
The ministry has allocated the hotline +974 40280660 to report violations of workers' housing requirements.
H.E. Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulaziz bin Khalifa Al Thani on Thursday inaugurated Ras Laffan Hospital and the Ruwais Health Centre for Health and Recovery, which are dedicated to treating patients with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), as part of Qatar's continuous efforts to secure the necessary requirements to provide care for patients infected with the virus.
During his visit to the hospital and health center, His Excellency listened to a brief on the capabilities and medical equipment in the new facilities, which are equipped with the latest medical technologies in the field of care and diagnostic services and the capacity of Ras Laffan Hospital, which exceeds 400 beds, as well as the emergency service and the laboratory in Ruwais Health Centre.
The Government Communications Office (GCO) has released a video showing the "precautionary measures and hygiene best practices when using online home delivery services to protect both yourself and Qatar's wider community from coronavirus (COVID-19)", in its official Twitter account.
Make sure to follow every precautionary measure when ordering home delivery services:
Be sure to follow every precautionary measure and hygiene best practice when using online home delivery services to protect both yourself and #Qatar's wider community from Coronavirus (COVID-19). #YourSafetyIsMySafetyhttps://t.co/TVIujCqkNy pic.twitter.com/Pj3tH5tVsU
— مكتب الاتصال الحكومي (@GCOQatar) April 23, 2020
The MoPH announced the registration of 623 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the recovery of 61 cases, bringing the total number of recovered cases in Qatar to 750. Most of the new cases were for expatriate workers most of who had been subject to quarantine, after it was found that they were in contact with confirmed cases. All new infected cases were put into isolation and are receiving the necessary medical care. With the registration of 61 new recovered cases, the total number people to have recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19) in Qatar reached 750.
The Ministry of Culture and Sports announced, in cooperation with the Centre for Elderly Empowerment and Care (Ehsan) and other State bodies, the launch of an initiative to deliver essential materials and other daily needs to the elderly.
Under the initiative, a number of volunteers from the Qatar Centre for Voluntary Activities (QCVA) will deliver essential materials and other daily needs to the elderly, who are unable to do that by themselves, as well as to those registered in the Ehsan Centre through the Mawater Centre in order to enhance the precautionary measures and quarantine requirements imposed by the State to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
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