New Covid-19 cases drop below 600 in Qatar

* MoPH reports 593 new Covid-19 cases, 1,321 recoveries, 198,277 total recoveries

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reported Thursday 593 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (Covid-19). 389 of these were from community cases and 204 from travellers returning from abroad. The MoPH recorded 1,321 recoveries from the virus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases recovered in Qatar to 198,277. The ministry announced four new deaths aged 49, 63, 68 and 73, three of which had a history of chronic disease. All were receiving the necessary medical care. The MOPH issued a statement on Covid-19 developments in Qatar, which said the following:

New Cases and Recoveries:

- 593 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 were announced today. 389 of these are from community cases and 204 from travellers returning from abroad.

- 1,321 people have recovered from the virus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases recovered in Qatar to 198,277.

- In addition, the ministry announced four new deaths aged 49, 63, 68 and 73, three of which had a history of chronic disease. All were receiving the necessary medical care.

National Covid-19 vaccination programme data:

- 1732471 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered since the start of the program.

- 30557 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the past 24 hours.

- 47.7 percent of the eligible population has now received at least one dose of the vaccine.

- 87 percent of over 60s (the most vulnerable population group) have been vaccinated with at least one dose, while 78.4 percent have received both doses.

Current Covid-19 Status:

- 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 us to delay the introduction of new variants into this country for several months but we are now seeing positive Covid-19 cases in the region and in Qatar with the new variants from South Africa.

- This new variant is much more contagious and spread 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 our vaccination program are effective against the new variants.

- The pace of the vaccination programme means that there is finally hope of a gradual return to normal for us here 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 our health for the majority of 2021 and until all eligible members of our population have been vaccinated, we must continue to follow the preventive measures.

What You Can Do:

- With the recent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Qatar, it is important for everyone 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.

- Visit the MOPH website for regular updates and new information.