QNA/Doha
The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) today announced 1,637 confirmed new cases of COVID-19, and 735 people newly recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recovered cases in the State of Qatar to 5,634.
During the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health recorded 24 cases admitted to intensive care due to complications resulting from the infection, bringing the total number of cases receiving care in the ICU to 163.
The Ministry pointed that the new cases are expatriate workers who were infected with the virus as a result of contact with individuals who were previously infected, in addition to recording new cases of infection among groups of workers in different regions. The new cases have been identified after conducting investigations by the research and investigation teams of the Ministry of Public Health.
Cases of infection have also increased among citizens and residents as a result of contact with infected family members who had been infected in the workplace or through visits and family gatherings, MOPH said, adding that the confirmed cases of infection with the virus have been placed under complete health isolation in the various medical facilities in the country, where they receive the necessary health care according to the health status of each case.
It stressed that the high number of infections among citizens and residents is due to the lack of compliance by some with precautionary measures, the most important of which is social separation and reduced exit from the home and social visits.
MOPH also said that the State of Qatar has entered the peak phase of the virus outbreak, which is seeing a rise in the number of infections recorded daily. It is therefore more important than ever to strictly follow recommended prevention and social distancing measures.
The Ministry underlined the importance for the elderly or those suffering from chronic diseases and their family members to follow strict measures to reduce the chances of infection with the virus and to refrain from social visits during the rest of Ramadan as well as on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr.
The reasons for the high numbers of new cases are summarized in the Ministry’s redoubling of its efforts in tracking the transitional chains of the virus and expanding the circle of searching for infected people through intensive and proactive investigations of large numbers of contacts with people who have been confirmed with the virus recently.
MOPH further noted that the number of daily tests that it conducts on people depends primarily on the number of contacts with individuals confirmed to be infected with the virus, as it conducts random checks in different places of the country as a proactive measure. This is in addition to the tests performed on patients in health centers and emergency departments. The number of tests performed daily is not linked to the number of cases detected in terms of any rise or fall.
The Ministry of Health stresses that because the coronavirus outbreak is at the peak stage in the State of Qatar, it is important not to leave the house except for when absolutely essential. It also stresses the importance of adhering to all measures to protect against virus infection, including maintaining social distancing both in the workplace and public places, as well as wearing a medical mask and avoiding social visits to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
The Ministry also called on anyone who has symptoms of Covid-19 should either quickly contact the 16000 helpline or go directly to one of the designated health centers for testing the virus. pointing that the earlier the disease is detected the easier it will be to receive the right treatment and recover from it.
The four main testing centers are Muaither Health Centre; Rawdat Al Khalil Health Centre; Um Slal Health Centre; and Al Gharafa Health Centre, MOPH said.
The Ministry also urged the public to regularly visit its website regularly to view the latest information and instructions related to COVID-19. (QNA)
