Is Qatar Still Flattening the Curve?, Part 2
We Won't Know for Several More Weeks,
and the Uncertainty is Too Much for Some Folks!
Can I still say that Qatar is flattening the curve?
At the end of March, I began tracking the Qatari government's response to the coronavirus pandemic. That post provides context, background, and daily updates through the end of April. In light of the ongoing pandemic and recent changes in the data coming out of Qatar, I decided to start a new post for May 2020.
As noted, the situation in Qatar has changed significantly in the last two weeks. Qatar reported its first case of COVID-19 on Feb. 29 in a young Qatari returning from Iran. Until April 2, new cases per day had not exceeded 115. On April 3, total cases finally exceeded 1,000. On April 4, the number of new cases doubled, hovering around 250 per day for several days. Qatari officials said that new testing technology explained the jump.
Then, on April 17, officials began reporting cases exceeding 500 per day. By April 24, cases began to exceed 700 cases per day. On April 27, the count reached 957 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Total confirmed cases stood at 11,244. For the chronological tracking of the reported cases, see here and below.
A number of articles, both international and domestic, suggest another cluster among foreign workers, especially construction workers. These workers tend to live in cramped housing conditions making it easy for this highly contagious virus to spread.
Qatari officials have reassuringly said that the pandemic is reaching its peak in the country, and that they can relax stay-at-home recommendations soon.
Even so, the increase in infections has people on social media spooked. Many people seek a complete lock-down in Qatar, although they do not suggest how that would be implemented with so many people already food and housing insecure. Some people suggest that the government provide more information, especially information about the locus of outbreaks. Other people are suggesting that Qatari officials need to do more testing so they can quarantine more infected people. On April 27, Qatari officials have taken 85,709 tests, with 3,420 taken in the last 24 hours. Based roughly on the reported numbers, 20 to 30 percent of the test-takers are confirmed positive for the virus.
When I looked at data for the Arab Gulf, a trend emerges showing a similar rise in infections in the last 14 days (prior to April 27). The three columns are: total reported infections, deaths, and reported infections in the last 14 days. The source is the European Centre for Prevention and Disease Control. For nearly all the countries of the Gulf, infections in the last 14 days have contributed significantly to total infections.
Bahrain 2,647 8 1,511
Kuwait 3,075 20 1,841
Oman 1,998 10 1,399
Qatar 10,287 10 7,308
KSA 17,522 139 13,060
UAE 10,349 76 6,226
As new cases approached 1,000 per day, Qatari officials explained:
Most of the new cases registered are due to expatriate workers working in different occupations who have been in contact with previously discovered cases, as well as recording new cases of COVID-19 among groups of workers from outside the industrial area who were identified through testing by the Ministry of Public Health. 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.More information about the trajectory of the pandemic in each country is here. I recommend you take a look at it.
People who describe the strategy of flattening the curve admit that it can prolong the outbreak while it does its intended job of keeping active infections at levels hospitals can manage and thereby keeping deaths lower. Even a flattened curve has a peak. Let's hope that Qatari officials are correct, and we are experiencing that peak now.
For discussions of "herd immunity," see here, here, here, and here (about Spain).
How long will it take to develop a vaccine? Take a look at the op-eds here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here (Moderna's promising results).
For an essay characterizing this pandemic as an event affecting everyone in the world, see here. "But as the writer Anna Badkhen puts it, not since human beings first began spreading across the globe has a single event “affected everyone, on every continent, as instantly and intimately and acutely as the spread of coronavirus, uniting us as we fear and think and hope about the same thing.” It’s the truly global nature of the crisis that French President Emmanuel Macron was referring to when he called the coronavirus an “anthropological” shock."
For a good article on super-spreader environments, see here. "The reason to highlight these different outbreaks is to show you the commonality of outbreaks of COVID-19. All these infection events were indoors, with people closely-spaced, with lots of talking, singing, or yelling. The main sources for infection are home, workplace, public transport, social gatherings, and restaurants. This accounts for 90% of all transmission events. In contrast, outbreaks spread from shopping appear to be responsible for a small percentage of traced infections."
For a chart comparing causes of death, see here. The authors of the study make the point that the mortality rate COVID-19 is not like the mortality rate for the seasonal flu, car accidents, heart attack, cancer, or earlier pandemics. It's a very good way to debunk the argument that our current reaction to the pandemic is an over-reaction, especially based on comparisons to causes of death that do not involve contagion or for which we have a vaccine.
For a thoughtful discussion of the needed long-term response to the virus, see here.
For an article on the factors you should consider before returning to the gym, see here. Factors include: cases in your neighborhood, your own health, density, duration, ventilation, masks, hygiene, and due diligence.
For an engaging and approachable description of the virus, its impact on us, and the associated science see Monster or Machine? A Profile of the Coronavirus at 6 Months.
Qatar's Response to the Pandemic: The Ongoing Timeline
What follows is a time-line I created to track mostly Qatar's response to the pandemic, Tangentially and for comparison, it refers to developments in the West. For its sourcing, I have relied on The Peninsula Qatar, Gulf News, Gulf Times, Qatar Tribune, Al Jazzera, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. I often reproduce content from the original source without using quotation marks, but I always include a link to the original source.
I pick-up my daily updates here. My updates for December 31, 2019 to April 30, 2020, appear in my earlier post. Posts for June appear here.
May 1: Qatar reports 687 new cases, bringing total to 12,648. Deaths increased by 2 to 12 deaths, one a 96 year old and the other a 40 year old. Officials have taken 97,726 tests, with 3,226 tests in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 1,436.
I have been confused by the reported number for "recovered" cases. How are those cases defined? Released from intensive care? Virus-free based on testing? Symptom-free after infection? This article discusses the difficulty of defining recovered cases. How is Qatar defining the term?
For a summary of Qatar's data on confirmed cases, deaths, and recoveries, along with graphs, see here.
While online media in the US pushes a theory that the virus is a man-made variant that escaped from a Chinese lab, the highly credible Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says that no evidence exists of the virus' man-made origin. "Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species,” Fauci says. Based on the scientific evidence, he also doesn’t entertain an alternate theory—that someone found the coronavirus in the wild, brought it to a lab, and then it accidentally escaped."
Remdesivir, a drug that failed to work on Ebola, hepatitis, and a common respiratory virus, may treat coronavirus patients. COVID-19 patients receiving remdesivir recovered faster than those who got a placebo: in 11 days, versus 15 days. But the drug did not significantly reduce fatality rates. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the results were “a very important proof of concept” but not a “knockout.” President Trump hailed the drug on Friday as “an important treatment” and “really promising.” Remdesivir is approved only for severely ill patients and only temporarily; formal approval must come later.
US reports 1,067,000 confirmed cases, with 62,682 deaths.
When strict social distancing measures began to flatten the curve in the US, Trump opined that 60,000 dead Americans would be a win. Now, as the U.S. has surpassed that figure, the president has adjusted his yardstick for success once again, casually declaring that, actually, maybe 100,000 people will die.
Worldwide, coronavirus has infected 3,273,602 people, with 233,661 confirmed deaths.
May 2: Qatar reports 776 new cases, bringing the total to 14,872. Officials have tested 101,728 people, with 4,002 tests in the last 24 hours. Recoveries stand at 1,534.
This report reveals the highest number of tests taken in a 24-hour period. The ministry explained that it has also recently stepped up efforts at contact tracing. "The number of tests carried out will always depend on the number of contacts a positive patient has had which therefore has an impact on the number of positive cases reported daily." Fore more on contact tracing, see here.
Dr. Abdullatif al Khal, Co-chair of the National Epidemic Preparation Committee, explained that Qatar's higher infection rate compared to other GCC countries reflects its more vigorous testing program.
In the US, the Trump administration seeks to prevent Dr. Fauci from giving testimony about the response to the virus before the House Appropriations Committee on May 6. However, Fauci, the head of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, may appear before the Senate Health Committee on May 12.
US reports 1,160,774 confirmed cases, with a daily increase of 29,744 cases. Deaths totaled 67,444 people, with 1,691 deaths int he last 24 hours.
US hospitals now reporting that COVID-19 may be triggering a serious inflammatory response in children, including Toxic Shock Syndrome and Kawasaki disease. Kawasaki is an autoimmune sickness that can be triggered by a viral infection and if not treated quickly, can cause life-threatening damage to the arteries and the heart. On May 7, a 5-year old boy in New York died of an inflammatory disease linked to to the virus. On May 10, New York announced the death of more children from a coronavirus-related syndrome. Seventy-three children have sickened with the syndrome. They are now calling it "pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome." Study linking PMIS to coronavirus here. The syndrome is now showing up in teenagers.
Worldwide, coronaviruss has infected 3,481,349 people, with 244,663 deaths.
May 3: Qatar reports 679 new cases, bringing total to 15,551. Officials have tested 104,435 people, with 2,707 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 1,664.
New York Governor Cuomo thanked Qatar for its delivery of medical supplies and aid. Qatar has sent aid and supplies to 20 countries, including Iran and Tunisia.
May 4: Qatar reports 640 new cases, bringing the total to 16,191. Officials have tested 106,795 people, with 2,360 tests taken in the last 24 hours, Total recovered cases stands at 1,810.
Ministry suspends marine vessel registration for three months.
Ministry continues to inspect worker accommodations in residential areas.
Trump has acknowledged that deaths in the US may reach 100,000. This concession is far from his earlier statement on Jan. 30: "[S]o far, if you look at what we have with the 15 people and their recovery, one is — one is pretty sick but hopefully will recover, but the others are in great shape. . . . And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done." In fact, the number of confirmed cases was 58. For the timeline of Trump's cheery statements, see here.
People begin to emerge from the Italian lock-down, the longest lock-down to date of eight weeks.
New Zealand reports first day with no new cases. Its officials remain cautious about their success in curbing the virus.
May 5: Qatar reports 951 new cases, bringing the total to 17,142. Officials have tested 109,762 people, with 2,967 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Total recovered cases stands at 1,924.
India has planned flights to repatriate residents from Qatar to India. The embassy registered 40,000 Indians interested in the flights. Close to 700,000 Indians live in Qatar, making up 25 percent of the population. More on the story, here. Update: Six flights are now planned as of May 13. Ten more flights are planned.
In France, doctors now believe that the virus was infecting people in the country as early as December 27, 2019. "Weeks before Chinese authorities acknowledged that the coronavirus could be transmitted by humans, and nearly a month before the first officially recorded cases in Europe, a 42-year-old fishmonger showed up at a hospital in suburban Paris coughing, feverish and having trouble breathing." He may have been the first case in Europe. "But if the timeline of when the virus appeared in Europe does change, the official efforts to combat the contagion will turn out to have been not just too late, but hopelessly too late . . . . That, in turn, would help explain the rapidly developing catastrophe that has since unfurled in France and Europe."
While a number of US states are starting to allow businesses to re-open, the data shows that the pandemic in the US continues to expand. "More than a month has passed since there was a day with fewer than 1,000 deaths from the virus. Almost every day, at least 25,000 new cases are identified, meaning that the total in the United States — which has the highest number of known cases in the world with more than a million — is expanding by 2 to 4 percent daily." This data varies from the data reported at worldometers.info.
US reports 1,221,983 total infections, with 70,814 deaths.
Worldwide, coronavirus has infected 3,691,191 with 255,229 deaths.
May 6: Qatar reports 830 new cases, bringing total infections to 17,972. Officials have tested 112,963 persons, with 3,201 test taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 2,070.
The Ministry of Public Health closed five private medical centers and referred them to Health Prosecution for violating the decision to suspend some non-emergency health services in private health facilities, as part of precautionary measures to combat the Covid-19 epidemic and to ensure the safety of patients and medical workers.
Hamad Port, Ruwais Port and Doha Port have registered around 250 percent increase in general cargo handling in April, compared to same month of the previous year, demonstrating that the ports are playing a vital role in ensuring smooth supply of goods in these exceptional circumstances.
Officials announce Industrial Area will come out of quarantine as long as strict operating procedures apply.
Qatar's national strategy, tested during the blockade, ensures food supply during the pandemic. The strategy includes storage of non-perishable goods, local production of perishable goods, and redundancy in international suppliers of goods. The local production pf vegetables has reached 28 percent of the total need of the country and Qatar plans to achieve self-sufficiency of up to 70 percent. Qatar achieved high level of self-sufficiency in milk (117 percent) and chicken (125 percent).
Qatar's national strategy, tested during the blockade, ensures food supply during the pandemic. The strategy includes storage of non-perishable goods, local production of perishable goods, and redundancy in international suppliers of goods. The local production pf vegetables has reached 28 percent of the total need of the country and Qatar plans to achieve self-sufficiency of up to 70 percent. Qatar achieved high level of self-sufficiency in milk (117 percent) and chicken (125 percent).
Qatar is one of two countries with the lowest death rate in the world. In Qatar and Singapore, the death toll is less than 0.1% of reported infections. Patient demographics and the ability of the health-care system to cope are key to keeping the survival rate high in this pandemic, health experts say. Among economies with major outbreaks, Qatar’s case fatality ratio is the lowest at 0.07% -- 12 deaths out of more than 16,000 cases. Singapore’s ratio is 0.093% of more than 19,000 infections. Both countries have also kept mortality from the virus low as a proportion of their populations: less than 0.5 per 100,000 people. The two nations are also among some of the wealthiest in the world, which means they can better afford the test kits and hospital beds they need. Low case fatality ratios boil down to three things: testing, age of the population and intensive care unit capacity.
The Ministry of Health revealed that infections doubled due to family gatherings and visits between friends and extended families, and people ignoring the preventive measures recommended by authorities, the most important of which is staying at home and maintaining social distance.
May 30: Qatar reports 2,355 new cases (the highest daily number to date), bringing total to 55,262. Officials have tested 217,988 people, with 5,091 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 25,839. ICU patients currently number 217, with 18 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 36 with no new deaths reported.
I continue this daily update in a new post for June.
May 7: Qatar reports 918 new cases, bringing total infections to 18,890. Officials have tested 116,495 persons, taking 3,532 tests in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 2,286.
Qatar offers a two-day drive-through testing (aka community swabbing) at three primary health care centers: Al Thumama, Al Waab and Leabaib. The effort is designed to learn more about viral transmission and asymptomatic carriers. Testers will randomly select persons for testing based on age, gender and ethnicity.
Officials provide more data on the infections in Qatar. People aged 29-34 have had the most infections, followed by persons aged 35 to 44 years. Few elderly and children have been infected. Cases among children have been mild. 328 cases entered intensive care, with 208 persons recovered. Only 53% of those cases required a ventilator. March 8 marks the date of the spread of the disease in Qatar, making this the 59th day of the pandemic here.
Qatari health minister declares that Qatar has flattened the curve arguing that the country has not seen an "aggressive" peak of the infection cycle, as seen in other countries. Qatar adopted WHO recommendations. Social distancing, masking, quarantine, and other measures adopted by the public have curbed the virus. More than 40,000 people per million have been tested so far. Infection rates are not high. Some 93% of the cases are mild and only 1 % are in ICU.
Researchers at Northwestern University see a statistical link between death rates and Vitamin D deficiency. While the vitamin will not protect against infection, it may help people recover from the infection. Not only does vitamin D enhance our innate immune systems, it also prevents our immune systems from becoming dangerously overactive. This means that having healthy levels of vitamin D could protect patients against severe complications, including death, from COVID-19. The analysis shows that it might cut the mortality rate in half.
Academics at the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), working on behalf of NHS England and in partnership with NHSX, have analysed the health data of over 17.4 million UK adults to discover the key factors associated with death from COVID-19. Compared to white people, people of Asian and Black ethnic origin were found to be at a higher risk of death. Previously, commentators and researchers have reasonably speculated that this might be due to higher prevalence of medical problems such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes among BME communities, or higher deprivation. The findings, based on detailed data, show that this only accounts for a small part of the excess risk. Consequently, further work must be done to fully understand why BME people are at such increased risk of death. Additionally, people from deprived social backgrounds were also found to be at a higher risk of death, which also could not be explained by other risk factors. Results confirmed that men are at increased risk from COVID-19 death, as well as people of older ages and those with uncontrolled diabetes. People with more severe asthma were also found to be at increased risk of death from COVID-19.
May 8: Qatar reports 1,311 new cases, bringing the total to 20,201. Officials have tested 120,458 people, taking 3,963 of those tests in the last 24 hours. A total of 2,370 persons have recovered from the illness.
The Ministry of Public Health has launched a community swabbing to learn more about how the Covid-19 infection is transmitted within the community and to identify people who have the virus but show no symptoms. They have created several drive by testing facilities. They hope the data will help officials better understand transmission of the virus and asymptomatic carriers.
An Australian immunologist who won the Nobel Prize predicts we will have a vaccine by September, but people over 60 may not find it effective.
May 9: Qatar reports 1,130 new cases, bringing total infections to 21,331. Officials have tested 124,554 people, taking 4,096 tests in the last 24 hours. A 52-year old resident with pre-existing conditions died, bringing deaths to 13. Recovered cases stand at 2,499.
Ministry issues entrance and exit procedures for Industrial Area.
Dr. Ahmed Al Mohammed, Acting Chairman of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Intensive Care Units (ICU), explained the hospital resource allocation strategy in Qatar. "The re-purposing of existing resources and facilities has seen over 2,900 new hospital beds, including 700 new ICU beds, being made available and five facilities, including two newly opened hospitals in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan, being designated as dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities. To date, HMC’s Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, which was the first facility in the country to be designated as a dedicated COVID-19 treatment center, has cared for the bulk of COVID-19 patients who have required ICU care. “To date, our ICUs have cared for around 300 COVID-19 patients. We have created and implemented a strategy that is allowing us to ensure the right care is available at the right time and place,” said Dr. Al Mohammed. Dr. Al Mohammed says the decision to dedicate hospitals as COVID-19 treatment facilities has enabled HMC to better care for all its patients. He says that while there is sufficient hospital capacity to care for COVID-19 patients, it is essential the public continues working together to help curb the spread of the virus. 'By designating Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, The Cuban Hospital, the Communicable Disease Center, Mesaieed Hospital, and Ras Laffan Hospital as dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities we can keep the majority of coronavirus patients in a small number of locations.'"
May 18: Qatar reports 1,365 new cases, bringing the total to 33,969. Officials have tested 161,695 people, with 4,125 tests taken int he last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 4,899. 172 people are now in the intensive care units of hospitals.
Bank offices in Qatari malls begin to open with precautionary measures.
Qatar Airways announces that cabin crew will wear personal protection equipment during flights. It will employ other safety measures, as well.
US reports 1,493,600 confirmed cases and at least 89,500 deaths.
Worldwide, confirmed cases exceed 4.7 million, with at least 314,966 deaths.
May 19: Qatar reports 1,637 new cases, bringing total to 35,606. Officials have tested 166,182 people, with 4,487 test taken in the last 24 hours. Total recovered cases stand at 5,634.
Qatar announces more precautions during Eid, closing more businesses until May 30. This story lists the business that can continue to operate. More on the story here. Only two people may ride in a vehicle, with some exceptions. Citizens and residents are obligated to install the EHTERAZ tracking app. People engaged in exercise activities should stay close to home.
Officials update requirements for companies transporting workers to and from the Industrial Area.
Officials reject a report issued by Human Rights Watch stating a viral outbreak at the Qatar Central Prison. They assert that since mid-March, public health and security authorities have implemented strict control measures in the Central Prison to protect inmates and limit the spread of the virus. Inmates have undergone regular health check-ups and a proactive testing program to monitor for new cases. All inmates have personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks, and the staff sanitizes personal and community spaces on a regular basis.
Officials announce that schools will start on September 1, with staff and faculty returning on August 19.
China has quarantined a second part of the country as a new outbreak of the virus emerges. Over 1,000 residential buildings have also been quarantined in Shulan, a small city in the center of the Jilin province, after cases were also reported there. Officials have halted most transport to 1,205 villages and their surrounding areas in a bid to control a fresh outbreak of the deadly disease.
May 20: Qatar reports 1,491 new cases, bringing the total to 37,097. Officials have tested 170,437 people, with 4,255 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 6,600. Officials report one death, bringing total to 16. A 62-year old resident with pre-existing conditions died. Seventeen people were admitted to the ICU in the last 24 hours, bring total ICU patients to 172.
Qatar sends medical equipment and supplies to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia. Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) had provided medical assistance to more than 20 countries. Latest help has gone to Ukraine, Moldova and Ethiopia.
Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari represented Qatar at the 73rd World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) . Among other things, she reported that the factors contributing to the low death rate in Qatar include the high proportion of young population in Qatar, the proactive screening and test program, and an effective and efficient healthcare system that diagnoses and treats patients early to reduce complications associated with the disease.
The Chairman of the Health System Committee for Accident Control at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr. Saad Al Kaabi, revealed that in the next two weeks, an additional clinical capacity will be provided in hospitals, bringing the total number of new beds that were provided as part of Qatar's strategy to face Corona epidemic (Covid-19) to approximately 3,500 beds. Dr. Al Kaabi stressed that there is no lack of beds for patients who need hospitalization, but members of society must at the same time continue to act proactively to prevent Coronavirus infection and prevent its spread.
Early tests of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is showing promising results. Eight participants who received low and medium doses of Moderna’s vaccine had blood levels of virus-fighting antibodies that were similar or greater than those in recovered Covid-19 patients. That suggests, but doesn’t prove, that it triggers some level of immunity. Another 17 people had immune responses at a level similar or greater than recovered patients, but scientists had not yet tested whether their antibodies neutralized the virus.
Studies from US showing that patients over the age of 60 likely die after being placed on a ventilator. No critically ill patients under the age of 30 died at the two New York hospitals and only a small number of them had to be put on ventilators. But more than 80 percent of people over 80 who went on a ventilator did not survive. Other studies show that people with a BMI over 30 are more likely to catch the disease and experience a more critical illness.
May 21: Qatar reports 1,554 new cases, bringing total to 38,651. Officials have tested 175,482 people, with 5,054 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 7,288. ICU patients number 171, with 24 admissions in the last 24 hours. One new death occurred: an 81-year old, bringing total deaths to 17. The Ministry affirms 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 and physical distancing, staying at home, and refraining from social visits.
The Ministry of Public Health advises people to celebrate the Eid al Fitr holiday at home. Officials provided some statistics and stated that cases have stabilized over the past three days. Over the last week, 20 patients per day have been admitted to the ICU. One percent of people infected require this intensive treatment.
Ministry of Public Health has designated Al Salam Complex in Muaither as a quarantine facility for the treatment of COVID-19 cases. The facility is manned with trained volunteers.
Scientists race to learn more about the link between a rare inflammatory disease among children and COVID-19.
US confirms at least 1,599,300 people infected with the virus and 93,408 deaths.
Worldwide, at least 4.9 million people have been infected with the virus, with 327,781 deaths.
May 22: Qatar reports 1,830 new cases, bringing total to 40,481. Officials have tested 180,642 people, with 5,160 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 7,893. ICU patients number 175, with 13 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 50-year old and a 43-year old. Total deaths stand at 19.
Effective today, people must install the EHTERAZ app for use whenever they leave home. When someone is diagnosed with COVID-19, the Ehteraz app will contact persons who have had recent interaction with the infected person. The app directs them to seek testing at a health center. The app also (1) provides the latest, official updates and statistics issued by the Ministry of Public Health; (2) notifies users of the latest awareness and precautionary instructions issued by officials; and (3) displays the user's health status. Officials have tried to address privacy concerns of citizens and residents.
Qatar Petroleum will cut capital and operating expenses by 30 percent. H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of Qatar Petroleum stated: “As the industry was being affected by the recent global recession, it was dealt a second blow by an OPEC+ lack of agreement that drove prices down.” The Minister said, “In addition to falling demand due to lock-downs, we witnessed negative oil prices in North America, as buyers were paid to take the oil over fears that storage capacities were running out for May.” He expected it would take 1-2 years for demand to go back to pre-pandemic levels and for the industry to return to some kind of normal. He also said: “We are in it for the long haul. We are the most cost-effective producer and can withstand market shocks. We are in very good financial shape, and we are still looking for good investment opportunities . . . . We are going full steam ahead with the North Field expansion projects to raise Qatar’s LNG production capacity from 77 million today to 110 million tons per annum by 2025 and 126 million tons per annum by 2027."
May 23: Qatar reports 1,732 new cases, bringing total to 42,213. Officials have tested 184,794 people, with 4,152 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 8,513. ICU patients number 177, with 16 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 55-year old and a 38-year old.
The ministry continues to stress the need for families to stay home during the Eid holiday, given the number of new cases traced to inter-family interaction during Ramadan.
The Traffic Department has set up a number of checkpoints and patrols designed to monitor compliance with new precautionary rules and to educate the public about these rules.
The ministry began an investigation into the delay of wage payments to foreign workers. It directed companies to comply with the Wage Protection System (WPS). It noted that companies can access financial and economic incentives available to the private sector. Qatar has allocated QR 3 billion to local banks to support companies with salaries and rental payments.
Ministry clarifies that children should be counted among the two allowed passengers in a vehicle under the new precautionary rules. Children should leave home only for necessary needs, primarily medical.
May 24: Qatar reports 1,501 new cases, bringing total to 43,714. Officials have tested 188,143 people, with 3,349 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 9,170. ICU patients number 188, with 24 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 66-year old and a 53-year old. The death toll stands at 23.
Eid al-Fitr starts.
Officials outline the four phase plan for returning to "normalcy.
US reports 1,630,900 cases with 97,059 deaths. States with increasing cases are Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arkansas, North Dakota, Maine, and West Virginia. The governors of several of these states were among the first to relax stay-at-home orders and allow businesses to re-open.
Worldwide, infections exceed 5,275,900 cases, with deaths at 347,981. The US remains the epicenter of the pandemic with cases four to five times higher than Spain, Italy, the UK, Russia, or Brazil.
May 25: Qatar reports 1,751 new cases, bringing total to 45,465. Officials have tested 192,484 people, with 4,341 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 10,363. ICU patients number 202, with 22 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three new deaths occurred: a 52-year old, a 62-year old, and a 65-year old. The death toll stands at 26.
Children may act as virus carriers. Officials ask parents to use precautionary measure during Eid to prevent the infection of others through contact with children and to keep children safe. I have discussed elsewhere the rare inflammatory disease among children that may be linked to the virus.
May 26: Qatar reports 1,742 new cases, bringing total to 47,207. Officials have tested 196,411 people, with 3,927 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 11,844. ICU patients number 205, with 19 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 58-year old and a 60-year old. The death toll stands at 28.
Officials advise: 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. This is important as 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
May 27: Qatar reports 1,740 new cases, bringing total to 48,947. Officials have tested 201,180 people, with 4,769 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 13,283. ICU patients currently number 203, with 12 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 75-year old and a 68-year old. The death toll stands at 30.
The EHTERAZ app has been updated to address privacy concerns. The story does not specify the recent changes.
Sri Lankans have taken the first repatriation flight.
Qatar offers a two-day drive-through testing (aka community swabbing) at three primary health care centers: Al Thumama, Al Waab and Leabaib. The effort is designed to learn more about viral transmission and asymptomatic carriers. Testers will randomly select persons for testing based on age, gender and ethnicity.
Officials provide more data on the infections in Qatar. People aged 29-34 have had the most infections, followed by persons aged 35 to 44 years. Few elderly and children have been infected. Cases among children have been mild. 328 cases entered intensive care, with 208 persons recovered. Only 53% of those cases required a ventilator. March 8 marks the date of the spread of the disease in Qatar, making this the 59th day of the pandemic here.
Qatari health minister declares that Qatar has flattened the curve arguing that the country has not seen an "aggressive" peak of the infection cycle, as seen in other countries. Qatar adopted WHO recommendations. Social distancing, masking, quarantine, and other measures adopted by the public have curbed the virus. More than 40,000 people per million have been tested so far. Infection rates are not high. Some 93% of the cases are mild and only 1 % are in ICU.
Researchers at Northwestern University see a statistical link between death rates and Vitamin D deficiency. While the vitamin will not protect against infection, it may help people recover from the infection. Not only does vitamin D enhance our innate immune systems, it also prevents our immune systems from becoming dangerously overactive. This means that having healthy levels of vitamin D could protect patients against severe complications, including death, from COVID-19. The analysis shows that it might cut the mortality rate in half.
Academics at the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), working on behalf of NHS England and in partnership with NHSX, have analysed the health data of over 17.4 million UK adults to discover the key factors associated with death from COVID-19. Compared to white people, people of Asian and Black ethnic origin were found to be at a higher risk of death. Previously, commentators and researchers have reasonably speculated that this might be due to higher prevalence of medical problems such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes among BME communities, or higher deprivation. The findings, based on detailed data, show that this only accounts for a small part of the excess risk. Consequently, further work must be done to fully understand why BME people are at such increased risk of death. Additionally, people from deprived social backgrounds were also found to be at a higher risk of death, which also could not be explained by other risk factors. Results confirmed that men are at increased risk from COVID-19 death, as well as people of older ages and those with uncontrolled diabetes. People with more severe asthma were also found to be at increased risk of death from COVID-19.
May 8: Qatar reports 1,311 new cases, bringing the total to 20,201. Officials have tested 120,458 people, taking 3,963 of those tests in the last 24 hours. A total of 2,370 persons have recovered from the illness.
The Ministry of Public Health has launched a community swabbing to learn more about how the Covid-19 infection is transmitted within the community and to identify people who have the virus but show no symptoms. They have created several drive by testing facilities. They hope the data will help officials better understand transmission of the virus and asymptomatic carriers.
An Australian immunologist who won the Nobel Prize predicts we will have a vaccine by September, but people over 60 may not find it effective.
May 9: Qatar reports 1,130 new cases, bringing total infections to 21,331. Officials have tested 124,554 people, taking 4,096 tests in the last 24 hours. A 52-year old resident with pre-existing conditions died, bringing deaths to 13. Recovered cases stand at 2,499.
Ministry issues entrance and exit procedures for Industrial Area.
Dr. Ahmed Al Mohammed, Acting Chairman of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Intensive Care Units (ICU), explained the hospital resource allocation strategy in Qatar. "The re-purposing of existing resources and facilities has seen over 2,900 new hospital beds, including 700 new ICU beds, being made available and five facilities, including two newly opened hospitals in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan, being designated as dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities. To date, HMC’s Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, which was the first facility in the country to be designated as a dedicated COVID-19 treatment center, has cared for the bulk of COVID-19 patients who have required ICU care. “To date, our ICUs have cared for around 300 COVID-19 patients. We have created and implemented a strategy that is allowing us to ensure the right care is available at the right time and place,” said Dr. Al Mohammed. Dr. Al Mohammed says the decision to dedicate hospitals as COVID-19 treatment facilities has enabled HMC to better care for all its patients. He says that while there is sufficient hospital capacity to care for COVID-19 patients, it is essential the public continues working together to help curb the spread of the virus. 'By designating Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, The Cuban Hospital, the Communicable Disease Center, Mesaieed Hospital, and Ras Laffan Hospital as dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities we can keep the majority of coronavirus patients in a small number of locations.'"
Friday prayers continue at one mosque, Imam Muhammad ibn Abd Al Wahhab Mosque,
in accordance with distancing precautions, among a small group of 40 persons.
Expert geneticists in viral evolution do not see evidence that the virus has mutated to make it more contagious, as an earlier report suggested.
US reports 76,908 deaths and at least 1,277,000 infections.
Worldwide, coronavirus has infected 3,953,177 people, with 275,056 deaths.
May 10: Qatar reports 1,189 new cases bringing total infections to 21,331. Officials tested 124,554 persons, with 3,215 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Officials reported a new death bringing total to 14. Recovered cases stand at 2,753. The death came to a 54-year old resident with pre-existing conditions.
Kuwait has announced a 20-day lockdown. You may take a 2-hour walk, but otherwise residents must stay home. Groceries open, but one family member may go and only with a government permit (which probably regulates numbers in the store at any one time). Deliveries limited to food and pharmacies. The country has 641 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and three deaths, bringing its tally of confirmed cases to 7,208 with 47 fatalities. Compared to Qatar, confirmed cases are much low, but deaths higher.
Qatari Emir receives a message from the Kuwaiti Emir.
One predictive model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is predicting 137,000 deaths in the US by August 4, 2020. The increased number reflects greater "mobility" because a number of states, like Georgia, are re-opening businesses and other operations.
May 11: Qatar reports 1,103 new cases, bringing the total to 23,623. Officials have tested 131,044 people, with 3,275 tests in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 2,840.
Qatari officials meet with the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister.
More streets in the Industrial Area open with precautionary rules in place.
A field hospital for workers open in the Industrial Area. The 200 bed hospital can handle 2,000 to 3,000 patients, both COVID-19 and other ailments. Patients needing a higher standard of care will go to other hospitals. The 200 member staff will provide alternative care for workers experiencing the current lock-down.
Ministry closed two medical facilities that violated the ban against non-emergency care. They face legal action.
Ministry cited eight companies that failed to adhere to precautionary measures requiring them to ensure that employees wear masks, that transportation buses run at 50 percent capacity, and that housing accommodations help curb the spread of the virus. They face legal action.
Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal, Chair of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has said that more social distancing is required to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in the country. He said compliance with precautionary measures has seemed lax more recently. Life will return to normal gradually in several phases. The beginning of phase 1 depends on the extent of the spread of virus in the community. The infection rate should be no more than one percent and stable for two to four weeks.
Expert geneticists in viral evolution do not see evidence that the virus has mutated to make it more contagious, as an earlier report suggested.
US reports 76,908 deaths and at least 1,277,000 infections.
Worldwide, coronavirus has infected 3,953,177 people, with 275,056 deaths.
May 10: Qatar reports 1,189 new cases bringing total infections to 21,331. Officials tested 124,554 persons, with 3,215 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Officials reported a new death bringing total to 14. Recovered cases stand at 2,753. The death came to a 54-year old resident with pre-existing conditions.
Kuwait has announced a 20-day lockdown. You may take a 2-hour walk, but otherwise residents must stay home. Groceries open, but one family member may go and only with a government permit (which probably regulates numbers in the store at any one time). Deliveries limited to food and pharmacies. The country has 641 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and three deaths, bringing its tally of confirmed cases to 7,208 with 47 fatalities. Compared to Qatar, confirmed cases are much low, but deaths higher.
Qatari Emir receives a message from the Kuwaiti Emir.
One predictive model created by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is predicting 137,000 deaths in the US by August 4, 2020. The increased number reflects greater "mobility" because a number of states, like Georgia, are re-opening businesses and other operations.
May 11: Qatar reports 1,103 new cases, bringing the total to 23,623. Officials have tested 131,044 people, with 3,275 tests in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 2,840.
Qatari officials meet with the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister.
More streets in the Industrial Area open with precautionary rules in place.
A field hospital for workers open in the Industrial Area. The 200 bed hospital can handle 2,000 to 3,000 patients, both COVID-19 and other ailments. Patients needing a higher standard of care will go to other hospitals. The 200 member staff will provide alternative care for workers experiencing the current lock-down.
Ministry closed two medical facilities that violated the ban against non-emergency care. They face legal action.
Ministry cited eight companies that failed to adhere to precautionary measures requiring them to ensure that employees wear masks, that transportation buses run at 50 percent capacity, and that housing accommodations help curb the spread of the virus. They face legal action.
Dr. Abdul Latif Al Khal, Chair of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has said that more social distancing is required to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in the country. He said compliance with precautionary measures has seemed lax more recently. Life will return to normal gradually in several phases. The beginning of phase 1 depends on the extent of the spread of virus in the community. The infection rate should be no more than one percent and stable for two to four weeks.
Scientists are learning what may make men more vulnerable to the virus. Studies from six different countries have found that men are 50% more likely than women to die from COVID-19. A peer-reviewed study found higher concentrations of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in male subjects compared to the women. The sample size was selective: all 3,500 people were elderly and had heart failure. None of them were infected with the coronavirus. But the researchers involved believe that other research on how ACE2 interacts with the virus can help explain the disparity in death rates between men and women. ACE2, found in several organs including the lungs, binds with coronaviruses like the one which causes COVID-19, and allows them to more easily infect healthy cells, according to one of the study authors.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, intends to give several warnings during his upcoming testimony to the US Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. He intends to convey the "danger" of opening up the country without following the White House's "Opening Up America Again" guidelines. "If we skip over the checkpoints in the guidelines to: 'Open America Again,' then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country. This will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal."
May 12: Qatar reports 1526 new cases, bringing total to 25,149. Officials have tested 135,294 people, with 4,250 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 3,019. The press release suggests that additional groups of workers have fallen ill and that failure to adhere to precautions is increasing infection among Qataris. "The ministry clarified that the new cases are due to persons from the expatriate labor force 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. . . . Cases of infection and infection with the virus have also increased among citizens and residents, as a result of contact with infected family members, who had been infected with their roles in the workplace or through visits and family gatherings. In this context, the Ministry affirmed 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 physical distancing and reducing the need to leaving home and social visits."
Ministry records several violations by five companies of the new precautionary rules applying to the Industrial Area. They will face legal action.
Money exchanges will open. Companies must comply with precautionary measures. Procedures include requiring visitors to wear masks, following social distancing guidelines, measuring temperature, and allowing a certain number of customers in at the same time, in addition to applying other preventive measures specified by the Ministry of Public Health, provided that the working hours are limited to six hours a day for employees working at money exchange service offices and allowing overtime for two paid hours so that the total of working hours does not exceed eight hours. Money exchange service offices are also required to take the necessary measures to prevent crowding, including providing instructions, guidelines, and security personnel to assist customers and make sure social distancing guidelines are followed.
Restaurants and cafes in Qatar may resume take-a-way service with certain precautions.
An article about computer donations reveals that another part of Doha has been placed under quarantine. The affected area is the Mekaines Labor City. For more on this quarantine see here and here. One story says the quarantine began in late-April and continued through at least early July. The quarantine facility served 50,000 workers, including 38,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections. It seems this quarantine was separate from the Industrial Area quarantine, but I am not sure about that.
Qatar continues to send need medical supplies to other countries, including Albanaia, Republic of Congo, and Angola.
Saudi Arabia has imposed a 24-hour curfew in the governorate of Beesh in the south-western region of Jizan until further notice as part of efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. An official source at the Interior Ministry said that entry into or exiting the governorate will also be banned until further notice with an exemption made for employees of vital public and private sectors, the Saudi news agency SPA reported. Residents are allowed on a limited scale to go outdoors to get food and health care during the period from 9 am to 5 pm daily. All commercial activities are banned in the governorate except those related to health care facilities, pharmacies, food stores, petrol stations, services of banking and maintenance. Mecca is also under a 24-hour curfew. Saudi Arabia so far has reported a total of 41,014 infections, including 255 deaths.
The US reports 1,341,000 confirmed cases, with deaths now at 80,060. It represents the epicenter of the infection.
Contrary to a statement made by Trump, the US does not have a low per capita death rate. The US ranks ninth-highest out of more than 140 countries for which information is available. More here.
Two of the US federal government’s top health officials painted a grim picture of the months ahead on Tuesday, warning the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that the coronavirus pandemic was far from contained, just a day after President Trump declared that “we have met the moment and we have prevailed.” The officials — Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, and Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — predicted dire consequences if the nation reopened its economy too soon, noting that the United States still lacked critical testing capacity and the ability to trace the contacts of those infected. If economic interests were allowed to override public health concerns, Dr. Fauci warned, “there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.” That could result not only in “some suffering and death that could be avoided,” he said, “but could even set you back on the road to trying to get economic recovery.” Dr. Fauci’s remarks, along with those of Dr. Redfield, contradicted Mr. Trump’s growing insistence that the nation has put the coronavirus behind it.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, intends to give several warnings during his upcoming testimony to the US Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. He intends to convey the "danger" of opening up the country without following the White House's "Opening Up America Again" guidelines. "If we skip over the checkpoints in the guidelines to: 'Open America Again,' then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country. This will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal."
May 12: Qatar reports 1526 new cases, bringing total to 25,149. Officials have tested 135,294 people, with 4,250 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 3,019. The press release suggests that additional groups of workers have fallen ill and that failure to adhere to precautions is increasing infection among Qataris. "The ministry clarified that the new cases are due to persons from the expatriate labor force 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. . . . Cases of infection and infection with the virus have also increased among citizens and residents, as a result of contact with infected family members, who had been infected with their roles in the workplace or through visits and family gatherings. In this context, the Ministry affirmed 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 physical distancing and reducing the need to leaving home and social visits."
Ministry records several violations by five companies of the new precautionary rules applying to the Industrial Area. They will face legal action.
Money exchanges will open. Companies must comply with precautionary measures. Procedures include requiring visitors to wear masks, following social distancing guidelines, measuring temperature, and allowing a certain number of customers in at the same time, in addition to applying other preventive measures specified by the Ministry of Public Health, provided that the working hours are limited to six hours a day for employees working at money exchange service offices and allowing overtime for two paid hours so that the total of working hours does not exceed eight hours. Money exchange service offices are also required to take the necessary measures to prevent crowding, including providing instructions, guidelines, and security personnel to assist customers and make sure social distancing guidelines are followed.
Restaurants and cafes in Qatar may resume take-a-way service with certain precautions.
An article about computer donations reveals that another part of Doha has been placed under quarantine. The affected area is the Mekaines Labor City. For more on this quarantine see here and here. One story says the quarantine began in late-April and continued through at least early July. The quarantine facility served 50,000 workers, including 38,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections. It seems this quarantine was separate from the Industrial Area quarantine, but I am not sure about that.
Qatar continues to send need medical supplies to other countries, including Albanaia, Republic of Congo, and Angola.
Saudi Arabia has imposed a 24-hour curfew in the governorate of Beesh in the south-western region of Jizan until further notice as part of efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. An official source at the Interior Ministry said that entry into or exiting the governorate will also be banned until further notice with an exemption made for employees of vital public and private sectors, the Saudi news agency SPA reported. Residents are allowed on a limited scale to go outdoors to get food and health care during the period from 9 am to 5 pm daily. All commercial activities are banned in the governorate except those related to health care facilities, pharmacies, food stores, petrol stations, services of banking and maintenance. Mecca is also under a 24-hour curfew. Saudi Arabia so far has reported a total of 41,014 infections, including 255 deaths.
The US reports 1,341,000 confirmed cases, with deaths now at 80,060. It represents the epicenter of the infection.
Contrary to a statement made by Trump, the US does not have a low per capita death rate. The US ranks ninth-highest out of more than 140 countries for which information is available. More here.
Two of the US federal government’s top health officials painted a grim picture of the months ahead on Tuesday, warning the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that the coronavirus pandemic was far from contained, just a day after President Trump declared that “we have met the moment and we have prevailed.” The officials — Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, and Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — predicted dire consequences if the nation reopened its economy too soon, noting that the United States still lacked critical testing capacity and the ability to trace the contacts of those infected. If economic interests were allowed to override public health concerns, Dr. Fauci warned, “there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.” That could result not only in “some suffering and death that could be avoided,” he said, “but could even set you back on the road to trying to get economic recovery.” Dr. Fauci’s remarks, along with those of Dr. Redfield, contradicted Mr. Trump’s growing insistence that the nation has put the coronavirus behind it.
Worldwide, coronavirus has infected 4,195,787 people, with 286,211 deaths.
May 13: Qatar reports 1,390 new cases, bringing the total to 26,539. Officials have tested 139,127, with 3,833 taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 3,143.
Qatari officials reveal that approximately 25% of those tested by contact tracing are positive, most of which have no signs or symptoms. The early detection of positive cases plays a key role in slowing the spread of the virus. It also allows for early treatment, when needed, to prevent potential complications.
Qatar has opened a new 504-bed field hospital to support the existing Covid-19 hospitals. The Libsear field hospital located near Al Shahaniya- Dukhan Road has already started receiving patients.The hospital consists of three buildings. The hospital, which will treat expatriates men.
May 13: Qatar reports 1,390 new cases, bringing the total to 26,539. Officials have tested 139,127, with 3,833 taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 3,143.
Qatari officials reveal that approximately 25% of those tested by contact tracing are positive, most of which have no signs or symptoms. The early detection of positive cases plays a key role in slowing the spread of the virus. It also allows for early treatment, when needed, to prevent potential complications.
Qatar has opened a new 504-bed field hospital to support the existing Covid-19 hospitals. The Libsear field hospital located near Al Shahaniya- Dukhan Road has already started receiving patients.The hospital consists of three buildings. The hospital, which will treat expatriates men.
In the UAE, medical professionals at the Dubai Health Authority will be granted a 10-year golden residency in an expression of thanks and appreciation to their devoted efforts in the fight against coronavirus pandemic.
May 14: Qatar reports 1,733 new cases bringing the total to 28,272 infections. Officials have tested 143,938 people, with 4,811 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 3,356.
Qatar officials announced rules governing the wearing of masks. Beginning today until further notice, all citizens and residents upon leaving the house for any reason must wear masks, except in the case when a person is alone while driving a vehicle. If people fail to comply, the penalties stipulated in Decree Law No. (17) of 1990 shall apply. The violator may be imprisoned for a period not exceeding three years and fined not more than QR 200,000, or both.
Medical officials report that while Qatar is not at the peak of the infection, it has entered the peak stage. A total of 417 coronavirus patients were admitted in ICU. Out of which 265 patients were shifted out of ICU, 14 people died, 138 patients are still in ICU of which 55 patients are on ventilators and 6 patients are receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During the past week, ICY's admitted eleven to fifteen cases on a daily basis for treatment. Most diagnosed cases are among 25-34-year-olds. This age group accounts for 36.7% of the cases.
May 14: Qatar reports 1,733 new cases bringing the total to 28,272 infections. Officials have tested 143,938 people, with 4,811 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 3,356.
Qatar officials announced rules governing the wearing of masks. Beginning today until further notice, all citizens and residents upon leaving the house for any reason must wear masks, except in the case when a person is alone while driving a vehicle. If people fail to comply, the penalties stipulated in Decree Law No. (17) of 1990 shall apply. The violator may be imprisoned for a period not exceeding three years and fined not more than QR 200,000, or both.
Medical officials report that while Qatar is not at the peak of the infection, it has entered the peak stage. A total of 417 coronavirus patients were admitted in ICU. Out of which 265 patients were shifted out of ICU, 14 people died, 138 patients are still in ICU of which 55 patients are on ventilators and 6 patients are receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During the past week, ICY's admitted eleven to fifteen cases on a daily basis for treatment. Most diagnosed cases are among 25-34-year-olds. This age group accounts for 36.7% of the cases.
Lack of social distancing among community members during Ramadan led to an increase in the number of infection and the spread of coronavirus in Qatar. Officials advise that no more than one family gather in one house for breakfast and Suhoor during the remainder of the blessed month of Ramadan.
Hamad Medical Corporation’s Ambulance Service has seen a 30 percent increase in daily activity.
US doctors are reporting an increase of strokes among infected young adults who had not pre-existing conditions. They link the rise to coronavirus and see ti as further evidence that the virus attacks organs other than the lungs.
An updated list of the misleading statements made by Trump about the coronavirus pandemic here.
China has quarantined 8,000 people.
Also in China, Dr. Shi Zhengli, the Chinese virologist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, has rejected accusations that the virus emerged from her lab. She said she had searched her lab’s records and found that the genetic sequence of the new coronavirus did not match any that the facility had previously studied.
May 15:
Qatar officials report that in a randomly selected “community sample” taken last week almost 12 % of 1,308 people tested positive for the virus. Officials hoped to gain more insight into community transmission and asymptomatic cases, which will in turn inform policy decisions. So, are we still quite aways-away from the "R-naught" (R0) metric some countries are using to plan re-openings? For a description of R-naught, see here, here (video), and here.
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs cancelled the activity of Al Qaswa'a manpower agency and withdrew its license due to violation of contracts with employers.The Ministry banned dealing with the office. The news release does not specify the violations.
May 16: Qatar reports 1,547 new cases, bringing total to 30,972. Officials have tested 152,704 people, with 4,531 tests taken in the last 24 hours. A 74-year old resident died in intensive care. Recovered cases stand at 3,788.
Anti-body study out of Spain reveals that about 5 percent of the population has suffered an infection. The study reveals that the country is far from "herd immunity." The Spanish data suggests about 1.15 percent of those who got infected in Spain died.
May 17: Qatar reports 1,632 new cases, bringing total to 32, 604. Officials have tested 157,570 people, with 4,874 tests in the last 24 hours. Death toll stands at 15. Recovered cases stand at 4,370.
US doctors are reporting an increase of strokes among infected young adults who had not pre-existing conditions. They link the rise to coronavirus and see ti as further evidence that the virus attacks organs other than the lungs.
An updated list of the misleading statements made by Trump about the coronavirus pandemic here.
China has quarantined 8,000 people.
Also in China, Dr. Shi Zhengli, the Chinese virologist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, has rejected accusations that the virus emerged from her lab. She said she had searched her lab’s records and found that the genetic sequence of the new coronavirus did not match any that the facility had previously studied.
May 15:
Qatar officials report that in a randomly selected “community sample” taken last week almost 12 % of 1,308 people tested positive for the virus. Officials hoped to gain more insight into community transmission and asymptomatic cases, which will in turn inform policy decisions. So, are we still quite aways-away from the "R-naught" (R0) metric some countries are using to plan re-openings? For a description of R-naught, see here, here (video), and here.
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs cancelled the activity of Al Qaswa'a manpower agency and withdrew its license due to violation of contracts with employers.The Ministry banned dealing with the office. The news release does not specify the violations.
May 16: Qatar reports 1,547 new cases, bringing total to 30,972. Officials have tested 152,704 people, with 4,531 tests taken in the last 24 hours. A 74-year old resident died in intensive care. Recovered cases stand at 3,788.
Anti-body study out of Spain reveals that about 5 percent of the population has suffered an infection. The study reveals that the country is far from "herd immunity." The Spanish data suggests about 1.15 percent of those who got infected in Spain died.
May 17: Qatar reports 1,632 new cases, bringing total to 32, 604. Officials have tested 157,570 people, with 4,874 tests in the last 24 hours. Death toll stands at 15. Recovered cases stand at 4,370.
May 18: Qatar reports 1,365 new cases, bringing the total to 33,969. Officials have tested 161,695 people, with 4,125 tests taken int he last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 4,899. 172 people are now in the intensive care units of hospitals.
Bank offices in Qatari malls begin to open with precautionary measures.
Qatar Airways announces that cabin crew will wear personal protection equipment during flights. It will employ other safety measures, as well.
US reports 1,493,600 confirmed cases and at least 89,500 deaths.
Worldwide, confirmed cases exceed 4.7 million, with at least 314,966 deaths.
May 19: Qatar reports 1,637 new cases, bringing total to 35,606. Officials have tested 166,182 people, with 4,487 test taken in the last 24 hours. Total recovered cases stand at 5,634.
Qatar announces more precautions during Eid, closing more businesses until May 30. This story lists the business that can continue to operate. More on the story here. Only two people may ride in a vehicle, with some exceptions. Citizens and residents are obligated to install the EHTERAZ tracking app. People engaged in exercise activities should stay close to home.
Officials update requirements for companies transporting workers to and from the Industrial Area.
Officials reject a report issued by Human Rights Watch stating a viral outbreak at the Qatar Central Prison. They assert that since mid-March, public health and security authorities have implemented strict control measures in the Central Prison to protect inmates and limit the spread of the virus. Inmates have undergone regular health check-ups and a proactive testing program to monitor for new cases. All inmates have personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks, and the staff sanitizes personal and community spaces on a regular basis.
Officials announce that schools will start on September 1, with staff and faculty returning on August 19.
China has quarantined a second part of the country as a new outbreak of the virus emerges. Over 1,000 residential buildings have also been quarantined in Shulan, a small city in the center of the Jilin province, after cases were also reported there. Officials have halted most transport to 1,205 villages and their surrounding areas in a bid to control a fresh outbreak of the deadly disease.
May 20: Qatar reports 1,491 new cases, bringing the total to 37,097. Officials have tested 170,437 people, with 4,255 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 6,600. Officials report one death, bringing total to 16. A 62-year old resident with pre-existing conditions died. Seventeen people were admitted to the ICU in the last 24 hours, bring total ICU patients to 172.
Qatar sends medical equipment and supplies to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia. Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) had provided medical assistance to more than 20 countries. Latest help has gone to Ukraine, Moldova and Ethiopia.
Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari represented Qatar at the 73rd World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) . Among other things, she reported that the factors contributing to the low death rate in Qatar include the high proportion of young population in Qatar, the proactive screening and test program, and an effective and efficient healthcare system that diagnoses and treats patients early to reduce complications associated with the disease.
The Chairman of the Health System Committee for Accident Control at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr. Saad Al Kaabi, revealed that in the next two weeks, an additional clinical capacity will be provided in hospitals, bringing the total number of new beds that were provided as part of Qatar's strategy to face Corona epidemic (Covid-19) to approximately 3,500 beds. Dr. Al Kaabi stressed that there is no lack of beds for patients who need hospitalization, but members of society must at the same time continue to act proactively to prevent Coronavirus infection and prevent its spread.
Early tests of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is showing promising results. Eight participants who received low and medium doses of Moderna’s vaccine had blood levels of virus-fighting antibodies that were similar or greater than those in recovered Covid-19 patients. That suggests, but doesn’t prove, that it triggers some level of immunity. Another 17 people had immune responses at a level similar or greater than recovered patients, but scientists had not yet tested whether their antibodies neutralized the virus.
Studies from US showing that patients over the age of 60 likely die after being placed on a ventilator. No critically ill patients under the age of 30 died at the two New York hospitals and only a small number of them had to be put on ventilators. But more than 80 percent of people over 80 who went on a ventilator did not survive. Other studies show that people with a BMI over 30 are more likely to catch the disease and experience a more critical illness.
May 21: Qatar reports 1,554 new cases, bringing total to 38,651. Officials have tested 175,482 people, with 5,054 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 7,288. ICU patients number 171, with 24 admissions in the last 24 hours. One new death occurred: an 81-year old, bringing total deaths to 17. The Ministry affirms 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 and physical distancing, staying at home, and refraining from social visits.
The Ministry of Public Health advises people to celebrate the Eid al Fitr holiday at home. Officials provided some statistics and stated that cases have stabilized over the past three days. Over the last week, 20 patients per day have been admitted to the ICU. One percent of people infected require this intensive treatment.
Ministry of Public Health has designated Al Salam Complex in Muaither as a quarantine facility for the treatment of COVID-19 cases. The facility is manned with trained volunteers.
Scientists race to learn more about the link between a rare inflammatory disease among children and COVID-19.
US confirms at least 1,599,300 people infected with the virus and 93,408 deaths.
Worldwide, at least 4.9 million people have been infected with the virus, with 327,781 deaths.
May 22: Qatar reports 1,830 new cases, bringing total to 40,481. Officials have tested 180,642 people, with 5,160 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 7,893. ICU patients number 175, with 13 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 50-year old and a 43-year old. Total deaths stand at 19.
Effective today, people must install the EHTERAZ app for use whenever they leave home. When someone is diagnosed with COVID-19, the Ehteraz app will contact persons who have had recent interaction with the infected person. The app directs them to seek testing at a health center. The app also (1) provides the latest, official updates and statistics issued by the Ministry of Public Health; (2) notifies users of the latest awareness and precautionary instructions issued by officials; and (3) displays the user's health status. Officials have tried to address privacy concerns of citizens and residents.
Qatar Petroleum will cut capital and operating expenses by 30 percent. H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of Qatar Petroleum stated: “As the industry was being affected by the recent global recession, it was dealt a second blow by an OPEC+ lack of agreement that drove prices down.” The Minister said, “In addition to falling demand due to lock-downs, we witnessed negative oil prices in North America, as buyers were paid to take the oil over fears that storage capacities were running out for May.” He expected it would take 1-2 years for demand to go back to pre-pandemic levels and for the industry to return to some kind of normal. He also said: “We are in it for the long haul. We are the most cost-effective producer and can withstand market shocks. We are in very good financial shape, and we are still looking for good investment opportunities . . . . We are going full steam ahead with the North Field expansion projects to raise Qatar’s LNG production capacity from 77 million today to 110 million tons per annum by 2025 and 126 million tons per annum by 2027."
May 23: Qatar reports 1,732 new cases, bringing total to 42,213. Officials have tested 184,794 people, with 4,152 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 8,513. ICU patients number 177, with 16 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 55-year old and a 38-year old.
The ministry continues to stress the need for families to stay home during the Eid holiday, given the number of new cases traced to inter-family interaction during Ramadan.
The Traffic Department has set up a number of checkpoints and patrols designed to monitor compliance with new precautionary rules and to educate the public about these rules.
The ministry began an investigation into the delay of wage payments to foreign workers. It directed companies to comply with the Wage Protection System (WPS). It noted that companies can access financial and economic incentives available to the private sector. Qatar has allocated QR 3 billion to local banks to support companies with salaries and rental payments.
Ministry clarifies that children should be counted among the two allowed passengers in a vehicle under the new precautionary rules. Children should leave home only for necessary needs, primarily medical.
May 24: Qatar reports 1,501 new cases, bringing total to 43,714. Officials have tested 188,143 people, with 3,349 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 9,170. ICU patients number 188, with 24 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 66-year old and a 53-year old. The death toll stands at 23.
Eid al-Fitr starts.
Officials outline the four phase plan for returning to "normalcy.
US reports 1,630,900 cases with 97,059 deaths. States with increasing cases are Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arkansas, North Dakota, Maine, and West Virginia. The governors of several of these states were among the first to relax stay-at-home orders and allow businesses to re-open.
Worldwide, infections exceed 5,275,900 cases, with deaths at 347,981. The US remains the epicenter of the pandemic with cases four to five times higher than Spain, Italy, the UK, Russia, or Brazil.
May 25: Qatar reports 1,751 new cases, bringing total to 45,465. Officials have tested 192,484 people, with 4,341 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 10,363. ICU patients number 202, with 22 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three new deaths occurred: a 52-year old, a 62-year old, and a 65-year old. The death toll stands at 26.
Children may act as virus carriers. Officials ask parents to use precautionary measure during Eid to prevent the infection of others through contact with children and to keep children safe. I have discussed elsewhere the rare inflammatory disease among children that may be linked to the virus.
May 26: Qatar reports 1,742 new cases, bringing total to 47,207. Officials have tested 196,411 people, with 3,927 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 11,844. ICU patients number 205, with 19 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 58-year old and a 60-year old. The death toll stands at 28.
Officials advise: 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. This is important as 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
May 27: Qatar reports 1,740 new cases, bringing total to 48,947. Officials have tested 201,180 people, with 4,769 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 13,283. ICU patients currently number 203, with 12 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 75-year old and a 68-year old. The death toll stands at 30.
The EHTERAZ app has been updated to address privacy concerns. The story does not specify the recent changes.
Sri Lankans have taken the first repatriation flight.
May 28: Qatar reports 1,967 new cases, bringing total to 50,914. Officials have tested 207,033 people, with 5,853 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 15, 399. ICU patients currently number 214, with 23 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three new deaths occurred: a 81-year old, a 50-year old, and a 24-year old. The death toll stands at 33.
For the first time since the epidemic started in Qatar daily recovered cases (2,116), exceed the number of new infections (1,967). This success likely reflects the new protocol for discharging patients from care. See next entry.
Asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 in Qatar will now be discharged from healthcare facilities fourteen days after their first positive swab. To date, many patients have remained in hospital or isolation facilities for longer than fourteen days as their discharge required them to have two negative PCR test results before leaving the facility. The new protocol will benefit patients by enabling them to return home and back to normal life as quickly as possible. “The new protocol for discharging patients with COVID-19 . . . brings Qatar in line with the most recent scientific evidence showing that after ten days from the first positive swab, the majority of patients are no longer contagious with COVID-19,” said Dr Naema Al Molawi, Virologist at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The new discharge policy applies only to those patients who do not require medical support. Any patient with moderate to severe symptoms that require ongoing medical treatment will continue to be cared for in a medical facility until their symptoms subside. For an Arabic explanation of the new protocol, see here. English here.
Mosques will still be closed to congregation prayer.
After the Eid holiday ends, government employees will work from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m., with 20% of employees at offices and 80% working from remotely.
The US met a grim milestone, with deaths now exceeding 100,000 in four months. The death toll is far higher than any other country in the world. The toll exceeds the number of U.S. military combat fatalities in every conflict since the Korean War. It matches the toll in the United States of the 1968 flu pandemic, and it is approaching the 116,000 killed in another flu outbreak a decade before that. The pandemic is on track to be the country’s deadliest public health disaster since the 1918 flu pandemic, in which about 675,000 Americans died.
Worldwide, infections exceed 5,687,000 cases, with reported deaths at 354,000.
May 29: Qatar reports 1,993 new cases, bringing total to 52,907. Officials have tested 212,897 people, with 5,864 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 20,604. ICU patients currently number 216, with 20 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three new deaths occurred: a 84-year old, a 48-year old, and a 65-year old. The death toll stands at 36.
Beginning on Sunday May 31, Al Waab, Al Thumama and Leabaib health centers will provide Covid-19 drive-through swabbing services. The new service will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 through early detection. It will also help find the disease in vulnerable persons at an earlier stage, thereby preventing more serious illness.
Beginning on Sunday, May 31, Qatar will allow some businesses to return to slightly less restrictive operation. Most non-essential shops can operate from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Restaurants and cafes may provide delivery and take-a-way services, except those in malls. Restaurants and cafes in malls may only offer delivery services. All other mall shops not providing essential services will remain closed. Non-essential shops must close on Friday and Saturday. Essential services remain open without time restrictions. They include: outlets selling food products, consumer goods and subsidized supplies (hypermarkets, supermarkets and groceries), shops selling fruit and vegetables, petroleum stations and car services, maintenance companies (electricity, plumbing and electronics services), companies delivering orders through electronic apps, logistics services companies and freight firms operating in ports, airports and customs services, car maintenance workshops affiliated with agencies, pharmacies, companies operating in the hospitality sector, factories, and bakeries.
May 30: Qatar reports 2,355 new cases (the highest daily number to date), bringing total to 55,262. Officials have tested 217,988 people, with 5,091 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 25,839. ICU patients currently number 217, with 18 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 36 with no new deaths reported.
May 31: Qatar reports 1,648 new cases, bringing total to 56,910. Officials have tested 222,069 people, with 4,081 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 30,290. ICU patients currently number 232, with 27 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two new deaths occurred: a 77-year old, and a 53-year old. The death toll stands at 38. Based on these numbers, 25.6 percent of people tested, test positive for the virus.
Medical experts note that 3 to 4 percent of COVID-19 cases in Qatar involve children. "Our patient data shows that in Qatar more than 60 percent of people with COVID-19 are between 25 and 44 years of age but around three to four percent of positive cases are confirmed in children under the age of 14 years old," explained Dr Al Amri. "For this reason, it is still extremely important for children to follow preventive measures to protect themselves from COVID-19. These include regular hand washing, not touching their eyes, nose, and mouth and adhering to physical distancing guidelines," added Dr. Al Amri. He also stressed that while children are at low risk of experiencing severe symptoms from the virus, they are just as likely as anyone else to pass the virus on to other family members.
I continue this daily update in a new post for June.
May Recap:
The month of May saw public health concerns collide with cultural norms associated with Ramadan and the Eid-al-Fitr holiday. Ramadan began on April 23 with the Eid holiday in Qatar beginning on May 24 and ending on May 30.
Government officials warned people to continue to stay-at-home during this season and avoid any inter-family meals, visits, or celebrations. It continued to ban congregational prayer at mosques. While it relaxed the rules on take-a-way meals from restaurants, it continued precautionary measures. As Eid approached, officials imposed further pre-cautionary measures to curb the spread of the virus. They required people to wear masks when they left their homes, to install a contact notification app called EHTERAZ to help people learn when they had had close contact with an infected person, and limit the number of persons in vehicles. They continued to urge people to limit trips away from home and suggested that they exercise for no mor than 2 hours outside and to do it close to home.
In May, Qatari officials:
- built field hospitals;
- established drive-by-testing;
- designated four health centers for testing;
- lifted the quarantine of the Industrial Area, subject to tight protocols;
- apparently quarantine Mekaines Labor City;
- sanctions businesses for violating precautionary measures;
- briefly opened money exchanges;
- set up checkpoints and patrols to monitor compliance with precautionary measures and to educate the public about the requirements;
- kept the death rate low in comparison to other countries:
- revealed that 25 percent of the people tested for the virus were infected;
- adopted a new policy for designating recovered cases;
- helped facilitate expatriation flights to several countries;
- outlined a four-phase plan for re-opening the economy;
- continued most precautionary measures into June, including distance learning, distance working, required mask wearing, stay-at-home requirements, business closures or restricted hours, and use of the EHTERAZ app.
By May 31, Qatar reported 56,910 infections, 222,069 people tested, 30,290 recovered cases, and daily admissions to ICU running at about 20 per day.
By the end of May, as the death toll crept up to 38 persons, the Ministry of Health revealed that infections doubled because people had held family gatherings, visited between friends and extended families, and ignored the preventive measures recommended by authorities, especially staying at home and maintaining social distance.
Accordingly, June will be a month where infections associated with the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid holiday manifest among a population showing more stress from months of social isolation.
Social media feeds continue to show the tension between people frightened for themselves and their families and people demanding that the government relax precautions, re-open businesses, and allow people to return to work.
On a more personal note, during my evening walks in The Pearl, I have noticed that 30 to 50 percent of people are not wearing masks or not wearing masks correctly as required by existing orders. Most people violating this rule are younger men. This rule violation may show fatigue, defiance, denial, or frustration. Empirical research may help us understand these responses during a public health event.
In the meantime, the US surpassed 100,000 deaths over a long week-end in which the President failed to acknowledge the milestone or show any empathy for families suffering these losses. The New York Times listed the names of the dead on its front page. People representing that number of deaths would fill some of the largest sports stadiums in the world, including the Lusail Stadium in Qatar designed to hold 80,000 fans.
Worldwide, countries reported over 6 million infections and over 2 million deaths.
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