The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reported on Saturday 509 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) during the last 24 hours, of which 420 were from community and 89 from travellers returning from abroad.
The MoPH also recorded 328 recoveries from the virus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases recovered in Qatar to 160,115.
The ministry reported one new death, that of a 56-year-old patient who received all the required medical care.
The MoPH issued a statement on Covid-19 developments in Qatar, which said the following:
National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme Data:
*57,9338 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered since the start of the programme.
*14,480 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the past 24 hours.
Every day, hundreds of people are becoming sick due to the Covid-19 with many requiring admission to hospital to manage their symptoms.
Since 1 February, the number of people with Covid-19 admitted to hospital has doubled.
Qatar's strict quarantine policy for returning travellers enabled the health ministry to delay the introduction of new variants into this country for several months but it is now seeing positive Covid-19 cases in the region and in Qatar with the new variants from the United Kingdom.
This new variant is much more contagious and spreads more easily between people than the existing strain and may be associated with increased severity of disease. The good news is that the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines being used in the vaccination programme are effective against the new variants.
The pace of the vaccination programme means that there is finally hope of a gradual return to normal in Qatar and people around the world.
But this will not happen in the next few weeks or months.
Covid-19 will continue to be a threat to the health for the majority of 2021 and until all eligible members of Qatar's population have been vaccinated, everyone must continue to follow the preventive measures.
With the recent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Qatar, it is important for all to play their role in controlling the virus by following precautionary measures:
*Adherence to physical distancing.
*Avoiding close contact with others, crowded places and confined closed spaces where other people congregate.
*Wearing a face mask.
*Washing hands regularly.
Anyone suffering from Covid-19 symptoms should contact 16000 helpline immediately.
This is important as the earlier the disease is detected the easier it will be to receive the right treatment and recover from it.
One may visit the MoPH website for regular updates and new information.
