Qatar has Flattened the Curve, Part 4

Can it Sustain the Success as 

Businesses Re-Open?

During the last week of June, Qatar saw an increasing decline in new cases.  Qatari officials began to talk about being past the peak of infection.  The contemplated a four phase re-opening.  A partial re-opening began June 15, with precautions put in place to prevent a spike in cases. 

July 1 brought Phase 2 of the re-opening, with more shops, mosques, and outdoor venues re-opening.  See my June post for more information about the rules governing the Phase 2 reopening.  Officials stressed that the transition from one stage to another is subject to the cooperation of all members of society and their application of precautionary measures, and the need to adhere to the procedures in place determined by the Council of Ministers.  It advises family members to limit visits to other family members and keep them to no longer than 15 minutes. 

As Qatar marked these milestones, a different story unfolded in the US.  During the same week of June, the US saw record increases in the number of new cases per day.  Health officials expressed alarm, with some saying the US had lost control of the virus.  The EU banned US citizens from entering because of the high infection rate in the US.  Some people attributed the first rise in cases to naivety, but attributed the recent rise in cases to stupidity.

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 US, China, EU, and other countries.  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 include photos that tie to the more important posts, so you can use them to help locate specific information.

I pick-up my daily updates here.   My updates for December 31, 2019 to April 30, 2020, appear in my Part 1 post.  Posts for Part 2, May 1 to May 31, appear here.  Posts for Part 3, June 1 to June 30, appear here.

July 1:  Qatar reported  915 new cases, bringing total to 97,003.  This number of new cases is higher than new cases recorded in the previous week.  Officials have tested 360,502 people, with 3,670 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 88,965.  ICU patients currently number 190, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The two deaths included people aged 59 and 65 years old.  The death toll stands at 115.

The Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari said that Qatar has passed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of new confirmed cases continues to fall, stressing that COVID-19 is still very much a threat to the health of the population.  He encouraged people to adhere to precautionary measures.

Parks, retail outlets in malls, shops and restaurants reopened for shoppers and visitors, as the second phase of the gradual lifting of restrictions began came into effect.

Officials have lifted working hours limit for the private sector. 

Officials have canceled entry and exit points to and from the Industrial Area while continuing to implement preventive measures, including the wearing of masks, reduced bus capacity to half, and the download and activation of the Ehteraz application, in order to ensure the health and safety of the area’s residents, visitors, and community members.

US reports over 50,000 infections per day for the first time. More than 800,000 new coronavirus cases were detected in the United States in June, many of them in Sun Belt states that were quick to reopen. At least 125,602 deaths have been reported since the start of the pandemic.

July 2:  Qatar reported  894 new cases, bringing total to 97,897.  Officials have tested 366,095 people, with 5,593 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 86,597.  ICU patients currently number 187, with 6 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The three deaths included people aged 57, 58, and 67 years old.  The death toll stands at 118.

Great interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House Coronavirus Task Force member and Director of the US National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about public health strategies, the science of the virus, vaccines, therapies, and other topics. 

New study found neurological damage to children with viral infections. Four children with COVID-19 and neurological symptoms required intensive care admission for the treatment of COVID-19 pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome.  They suffered impaired brain function, headaches, brainstem and cerebellum issues, muscle weakness, and reduced reflexes. 

Worldwide, 10,680,000 people have been infected with 513,000 deaths. 

July 3:  Qatar reported  756 new cases, bringing total to 98,653.  Officials have tested 372,005 people, with 5,910 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 88,583.  ICU patients currently number 185, with 10 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The three deaths included people aged 42, 77, and 77 years old.  The death toll stands at 121.

Qatar Airways has increased its health and safety measures onboard by introducing new personal protective equipment (PPE) for customers and cabin crew. The airline’s additional robust measures include offering face shields and protective kits to all passengers, in addition to a new protective gown for cabin crew.  Unfortunately, masks will be optional in Business Class.  Business Class meals are served covered on a tray instead of a table set up, and a cutlery wrap is offered to passengers as an alternative to individual cutlery service, in an effort to minimize contact between crew and passengers. Qatar Airways has also introduced single-use menu cards and sealed refreshing wipes. Economy Class meals and cutlery are served sealed as usual, and menu cards have been temporarily discontinued.

July 4: Qatar reported  530 new cases, bringing total to 99,183.  Officials have tested 376,881 people, with 4,876 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 90,387.  ICU patients currently number 176, with 10 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The two deaths included people aged 68 and 82 years old.  The death toll stands at 123.

Indians will have access to 51 additional repatriation flights soon. More flights to India announced here.  Fourteen more flights announced on July 29. 

What is the death rate from COVID-19?  The World Health Organization held a two-day online meeting of 1,300 scientists from around the world, and the agency’s chief scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, said the consensus for now was that the I.F.R. is about 0.6 percent — which means that the risk of death is less than 1 percent.  Although she did not note this, 0.6 percent of the world’s population is 47 million people, and 0.6 percent of the American population is 2 million people. The virus remains a major threat.  At present, countries have very different case fatality rates, or C.F.R.’s, which measure deaths among patients known to have had Covid-19. In most cases, that number is highest in countries that have had the virus the longest.  Iceland’s rate is less than 1 percent, New Zealand’s and Israel’s are below 2 percent. Belgium, by comparison, is at 16 percent, and Italy and Britain at 14 percent.  So far, in most countries, about 20 percent of all confirmed Covid-19 patients become ill enough to need supplemental oxygen or even more advanced hospital care, said Dr. Janet Diaz, head of clinical care for the W.H.O.’s emergencies program.  Whether those patients survive depends on a host of factors, including age, underlying illnesses and the level of medical care available.  Death rates are expected to be lower in countries with younger populations and less obesity, which are often the poorest countries. Conversely, the figures should be higher in countries that lack oxygen tanks, ventilators and dialysis machines, and where many people live far from hospitals. Those are also often the poorest countries.

A stretch of DNA linked to Covid-19 was passed down from Neanderthals 60,000 years ago, according to a new study.  Scientists don’t yet know why this particular segment increases the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus. But the new findings, which were posted online on Friday and have not yet been published in a scientific journal, show how some clues to modern health stem from ancient history. This piece of the genome, which spans six genes on Chromosome 3, has had a puzzling journey through human history, the study found. The variant is now common in Bangladesh, where 63 percent of people carry at least one copy. Across all of South Asia, almost one-third of people have inherited the segment.  Elsewhere, however, the segment is far less common. Only 8 percent of Europeans carry it, and just 4 percent have it in East Asia. It is almost completely absent in Africa.  The new data showed an even stronger link between the disease and the Chromosome 3 segment. People who carry two copies of the variant are three times more likely to suffer from severe illness than people who do not. Dr. Zeberg knew that other Neanderthal genes that are common today even help us fight viruses. When modern humans expanded into Asia and Europe, they may have encountered new viruses against which Neanderthals had already evolved defenses. We have held onto those genes ever since. It’s possible that an immune response that worked against ancient viruses has ended up overreacting against the new coronavirus. People who develop severe cases of Covid-19 typically do so because their immune systems launch uncontrolled attacks that end up scarring their lungs and causing inflammation.
Dr. Paabo said the DNA segment may account in part for why people of Bangladeshi descent are dying at a high rate of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom.

US logs its 26th consecutive day increasing new infections.   On July 3, new infections nationwide reached another single-day high of 57,497, and at least 20 states set record highs for the average of new cases over seven days.

July 5:  Qatar reported  616 new cases, bringing total to 99,799.  Officials have tested 381,434 people, with 4,553 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 92,284.  ICU patients currently number 175, with 8 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The five deaths included people aged 50, 58, 64, 80 and ? years old.  The death toll stands at 128.

July 6: Qatar reported  546 new cases, bringing total to 100,345.  Officials have tested 386,111 people, with 4,677 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 93,898.  ICU patients currently number 164, with 9 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The five deaths included people aged 59, 64, 67, 80 and 88 years old.  The death toll stands at 133.

Officials warned that "there has been an increase in cases among families. This is of great concern as this population group includes the highest percentage of the elderly and people with chronic conditions. Now more than ever, we must be careful and protect the most vulnerable.”

In the US, Latino and African-American residents of the United States have been three times as likely to become infected as their white neighbors, according to the new data, which provides detailed characteristics of 640,000 infections detected in nearly 1,000 U.S. counties. And Black and Latino people have been nearly twice as likely to die from the virus as white people, the data shows.

The rolling seven-day average for daily new cases in the United States reached a high for the 27th day in a row, climbing past 48,000 on Sunday. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations rose to their highest levels to date in Arizona and Nevada.  At least 127,000 people have died, and the virus has infected at least 2,880,000 people.  The infection rate in a number of states is exponential. 

Worldwide, the virus has infected at least 11,466,000 people, causing at least 532,000 deaths. 

July 7:  Qatar reported  600 new cases, bringing total to 100,945.  Officials have tested 390,997 people, with 4,886 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 94,903 and daily recoveries exceed the number of new cases.  ICU patients currently number 154, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, the number of patients in ICU is dropping.  The one death was a person aged 61. The death toll stands at 134.

July 8:  Qatar reported  608 new cases, bringing total to 101,553.  Officials have tested 396,199 people, with 5,202 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 96,107.  ICU patients currently number 154, with 8 admissions in the last 24 hours.  The four deaths included people aged 50, 55, 67, and 74 years old.  The death toll stands at 138.

Officials announce that shops and commercial operations may now open on Friday and Saturday. 

In the US, 3 million infections and 47,000 new cases on July 6, but Trump wants to open schools in August.  Administration has also made it more difficult for foreign students to stay in the US unless they take in-person, rather than online, courses.  And, Trump administration has given notice that US will withdraw from WHO.

US passport holders are banned from entering many countries because of the poor management of the pandemic in its borders.  Here is the list of the countries.  For more on the EU restrictions, see here. 

July 9:  Qatar reported  557 new cases, bringing total to 102,110.  Officials have tested 400,767 people, with 4,568 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 97,272.  ICU patients currently number 145, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, admissions to ICU keep dropping.  The four deaths included people aged 52, 53, 63, and 76 years old.  The death toll stands at 142.

A study from England of 17 million people identifies those persons most at risk for coronavirus. Dr. Goldacre’s team found that patients older than 80 were at least 20 times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those in their 50s, and hundreds of times more likely to die than those below the age of 40. The scale of this relationship was “jaw-dropping,” Dr. Goldacre said.  Additionally, men stricken with the virus had a higher likelihood of dying than women of the same age. Medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, severe asthma, and compromised immunity were also linked to poor outcomes. And the researchers noted that a person’s chances of dying also tended to track with socioeconomic factors like poverty.

US again reporting the highest daily infection rate, now surpassing 59,000.  Surging cases in Tulsa, Oklahoma seem tied to Trump's rally in June. Arizona has the highest percentage among all states of positive tests, according to data from Johns Hopkins, with an average of 25.3% of tests coming back positive as of Tuesday.  Other states seeing surges in cases still have lower percent-positive rates. In Florida, the rate is 18.7%, and in Texas, it's 13.8%.  Mississippi shut down its capitol building after 26 legislators plus 10 staff tested positive for the virus.  They had just completed a two week legislative session in which members did not wear masks or engage in social distancing.  

July 10:  Qatar reported  520 new cases, bringing total to 102,630.  Officials have tested 404,868 people, with 4,101 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 98,232.  ICU patients currently number 139, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, admissions to ICU keep dropping.  The four deaths included people aged 30, 57, 70, and 91 years old.  The death toll stands at 146.

Researchers found the coronavirus and antibodies against it in the umbilical cord blood, breast milk, placentas and vaginas of some pregnant infected women, another suggestion that the virus can be passed to fetuses and newborns, according to results of a small study released Thursday.  Just two of the infants in the sample examined by Italian researchers tested positive for the virus, and both quickly recovered. In one case, a baby tested negative two days later, an indication that the child was already producing antibodies against the virus in the womb, said Claudio Fenizia, an assistant professor of immunology at the University of Milan, who led the study.  In an interview, Fenizia said the review of 31 pregnant women is preliminary and was plagued by factors that make it too early to draw conclusions for use in the care of pregnant women infected by the virus. But, he said, “our study should be considered a ringing bell to raise awareness that [transmission] is possible.” He urged further research in the area, which is underway in some places.  

Qatar issues information for pregnant women in here.

July 11:  Qatar reported  498 new cases, bringing total to 103,128.  Cases have dropped below 500 for the first time since April 19, 2020.  Officials have tested 409,199 people, with 4,331 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 98,934.  ICU patients currently number 141, with 11 admissions in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 146.

Qatar's Minister of Public Health said: “Qatar's strategy to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic relies heavily on community testing, tracing and quarantining in the effort to reduce the spread of the infection in our community. Early identification of cases allows for earlier treatment which may prevent complications. This has helped Qatar maintain one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world.”

The coronavirus proved substantially deadlier to people of color under the age of 65 than to their white counterparts in the early days of the pandemic, an in-depth analysis released Friday found.  The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the agency’s most comprehensive analysis of the demographics of those who died of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Researchers analyzed data for about 52,000 confirmed deaths between mid-February and mid-April.
Most of the people who died were older than 65, and most had underlying medical conditions. But researchers obtained more complete data on race, ethnicity and underlying conditions for a subset of about 10,000 people. Most of those deaths occurred in New York City, New Jersey and Washington state, three areas hardest hit at the dawn of the pandemic. The study found stark differences in the age at which people from different racial and ethnic groups died of covid-19. Among white people, the median age was 81, while for Hispanics it was 71, and for all nonwhite, non-Hispanic people it was 72.  Researchers found that the virus exacted a vastly steeper toll on people of color who were younger than 65. About 35 percent of Hispanic people who died of covid-19 were under 65, and about 29.5 percent of nonwhite, non-Hispanics who died were under 65. By comparison, 13.2 percent of deaths among white people were in those younger than 65.  The percentage of deaths among Hispanic and nonwhite people exceeded their representation in the U.S. population. 

New cases in US exceed 68,000 shattering recent record infections. US has set seven new records in the last 11 days. The single-day death toll was 724, compared to 289 a week ago. The daily coronavirus death toll in the United States has recently increased after months of decline, with nearly 4,500 deaths reported nationally in the past seven days and experts warning that the trend would probably worsen. Texas, Arizona and South Carolina have all seen their death toll rise by more than 100 percent in the past four weeks. Five other states — Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, California and Louisiana — have seen at least a 20 percent jump in that time span. Five states and territories set a record for coronavirus-related hospitalizations: Puerto Rico, North Carolina, Alaska, Florida and California.

July 12:  Qatar reported  470 new cases, bringing total to 103,598.  Officials have tested 412,682 people, with 3,483 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 99,743.  ICU patients currently number 140, with 6 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, admissions to ICU keep dropping.  The one death was a 61 year-old.  The death toll stands at 147.

This article discusses how bats can harbor so many viruses, but seem to tolerate them, including the Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, and Marburg viruses.  Basically, bats better manage the inflammation response that otherwise leads to death through the cytokine storm. 

For decades, Dr. Daniel R. Lucey, an infectious disease specialist at Georgetown University, has crisscrossed the globe to study epidemics and their origins. His attention now is on the Covid-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization has begun a wide inquiry into its roots. The advance team is to leave for China this weekend, and Dr. Lucey has publicly encouraged the health agency to address what he considers eight top questions about the origins of the pandemic.  The eight questions appear here.

July 13:  Qatar reported  418 new cases, bringing total to 104,016.  Officials have tested 416,327 people, with 3,645 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 100,627.  ICU patients currently number 139, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours.  Thus, admissions to ICU keep dropping.  Two deaths occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 149.

A peer-reviewed study has found that COVID-19 may result in male sterility and could be transmitted sexually. 

July 14:  Qatar reported 517 new cases, bringing total to 104,533.  Officials have tested 420,649 people, with 4,322 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 101,160.  ICU patients currently number 137, with 9 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 53-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 150.

In the US, California, Florida, and Texas reported at least 30,000 new cases, representing 18 percent of new cases worldwide.  Since the start of the pandemic, the three states have reported at least 892,000 cases.  California is already moving back to lock-down, and schools will be online for the fall in the major metro areas.  The US has failed to control the pandemic because of chronic under-funding of public health. 

July 15: Qatar reported 450 new cases, bringing total to 104,983.  Officials have tested 432,4858 people, with 4,209 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 101,637.  ICU patients currently number 135, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 53-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 151.

Qatar National Library opens.

July 16:  Qatar reported  494 new cases, bringing total to 105,477.  Officials have tested 430,661 people, with 5,803 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 102,168.  ICU patients currently number 135, with 9 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 92-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 152.

Officials announce that students will return to schools on September 1 and will assist schools in adhering to precuationary measures that protect the health of students, teachers, and staff. 

July 17: Qatar reported  421 new cases, bringing total to 105,898.  Officials have tested 435,584 people, with 4,923 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 102,597.  ICU patients currently number 132, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 85-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 153.  Officials identify family infections as the source of new cases and advises strict adherence to precautionary measures. 

India now has more than 1 million cases, with over 30,000 new cases a day. It ranks third in the world in the number of infection behind the US and Brazil. India has over 25,000 deaths. Schools remain closed and some cities are reimposing lock downs.

In US, new cases set another daily record at 75,600.  The number of cases has doubled since June 24.  Deaths are now rising, too, as the capacity of hospitals in many states is exhausted.   Total cases exceed 3.5 million and deaths exceed 135,000. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation now projects 201,129 deaths from the coronavirus by Oct. 1, up 31,239 from a projection the organization made less than a week ago. The IHME estimates a range of fatalities from 171,551 to 269,395.

After Trump ordered hospitals to shift reporting from the CDC to the Department of Health and Human Services, data disappeared from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website as hospitals began filing information to a private contractor or their states instead. A day later, an outcry — including from other federal health officials — prompted the Trump administration to reinstate that dashboard and another daily CDC report on the pandemic.  And on Thursday, the nation’s governors joined the chorus of objections over the abruptness of the change to the reporting protocols for hospitals, asking the administration to delay the shift for 30 days.  Widespread concerns exist that the shift was designed to financial boost the IPO of a Trump crony or would allow the Trump administration to hide or manipulate the data for political gain.

The New York Times offers a coronavirus drug and treatment tracker to learn more about developing options.

July 18:  Qatar reported 410 new cases, bringing total to 106,308.  Officials have tested 438,990 people, with 3,406 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 103,023.  ICU patients currently number 132, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 81-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 154.  Officials continue to identify family infections as the source of new cases and advises strict adherence to precautionary measures. 

New studies indicate that persons with Type A blood type are not at greater risk from the virus. Two studies — one at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the other at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York — did not find that Type A blood increases the odds that people will be infected with Covid-19.  The new reports do find evidence that people with Type O blood may be slightly less likely to be infected. But the effect is so small that people shouldn’t count on it.

July 19:  Qatar reported 340 new cases, bringing total to 106,648.  Officials have tested 441,700 people, with 2,710 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 103,377.  ICU patients currently number 128, with 8 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 56, 59, and 69 years old.  The death toll stands at 157.  

A global genetics study involving researchers in Qatar shows strong evidence of genetics playing a role in COVID-19 severity. A site on Chromosome 3 has been identified to have a solid link to COVID-19 severity.  The identified site is home to six genes; hence it is not yet possible to say exactly which one of them influences the course of COVID-19. Further investigations are underway to pinpoint exactly which gene this is.

Another drive through testing center will open in Qatar.

Aspire Zone opens its outside sports venues with a limit of 10 people on pitches.

A large new study from South Korea offers an answer: Children younger than 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do, but the risk is not zero. And those between the ages of 10 and 19 can spread the virus at least as well as adults do.  The findings suggest that as schools reopen, communities will see clusters of infection take root that include children of all ages, several experts cautioned.

New investigative reporting shows how the US lost control over the pandemic in April 2020 by off-loading responsibility to the states, placing a priority on reopening the economy, ignoring the advice of professional epidemiologists, embracing overly optimistic projections, and ignoring the scale of the pandemic. 

July 20: Qatar reported 389 new cases, bringing total to 107,037.  Officials have tested 446,036 people, with 4,336 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 103,782.  ICU patients currently number 126, with 9 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 70 and 71 years old.  The death toll stands at 159.

July 21:  Qatar reported 393 new cases, bringing total to 107,430.  Officials have tested 451,168 people, with 5,132 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 104,191.  ICU patients currently number 119, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 45-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  Death toll stands at 160.

Officials announce changes to the travel entry policies for residents and related quarantine requirements.

 

July 22:  Qatar reported 441 new cases, bringing total to 107,871.  Officials have tested 455,798 people, with 4,630 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 105,018.  ICU patients currently number 113, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 46, 59, and 77 years old.  The death toll stands at 163.

More quarantine hotels become available in Qatar. 

In the third phase of its reopening and gradual lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, private and government offices may operate with 80% attendance in office.

Official published the list of countries deemed low-risk for the transmission of the virus. Persons arriving to the State of Qatar from low-risk countries are required to take a Coronavirus test upon arrival at the airport, and to sign a formal pledge to adhere to quarantine at home for a week, noting that the traveler's status on the Ehteraz application will be yellow, which means that they are required to quarantine. After the week has elapsed, the traveler must go to one of the dedicated health centers to get another Coronavirus test. If the result is positive, the traveler will be transferred to isolation, and if it is negative, the quarantine period ends at the end of that week and the traveler's status on the Ehteraz application will change to green. 

July 23:  Qatar reported 373 new cases, bringing total to 108,244.  Officials have tested 459,323 people, with 3,525 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 105,018.  ICU patients currently number 114, with 6 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 91-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 164.  “Even though restrictions are being lifted, and numbers are declining, this does not mean that the COVID-19 pandemic is finished in Qatar – every day between 50 and 100 people are admitted to hospital with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms. Unless we follow all precautionary measures, we may experience a second wave of the virus and see numbers increasing – there are already signs of this happening in other countries around the world. Avoid close contact with others, crowded places and confined closed spaces where other people aggregate. Now more than ever, we must be careful and protect the most vulnerable,” the ministry said in a statement.

Entry for residents, who are stuck abroad due to COVID-19, to Qatar will be only after obtaining an entry permit through Qatar Portal. Application for the same can be submitted from August 1. Qatar Portal allows employers, whether individuals or companies, government or private sectors, to apply for entry permits for residents and their family members holding QIDs under which they can return to the State of Qatar. Exceptional Entry Permit to Qatar is a temporary service provided to the residents who are currently stuck abroad due to COVID-19.

July 24:   Qatar reported 394 new cases, bringing total to 108,638.  Officials have tested 464,674 people, with 5,351 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 105,420.  ICU patients currently number 101, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 164. 

Staged reopening of private and public schools in Qatar will begin on September 1. The first stage: for three days starting from Sept 1-3, the student attendance should not exceed one-third of the people in the school. The second stage: for two weeks, from Sept. 6 to 17 integrated education, where the attendance and occupancy rate in all Qatar public and private schools and kindergartens will not exceed 50 percent of the students, as their attendance will be alternating during the two mentioned weeks in two groups so that half of the students (50 percent) attend in the first week in school then they receive their education remotely in the week that follows, and then the other half of students attend in the second week of the start of the academic year after they receive their education remotely in the first week. The third stage: The actual start of 100 percent of students in schools and kindergartens, and this period starts from 9/20/2020 for all students in public and private schools and kindergartens. People will continue to take precautionary precautions in accordance with the requirements of the health and safety department in the education ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health.

Qatar University announces its re-opening plan. 

US:  As numbers spiked in Florida and elsewhere, primarily in the South and West, experts worry that we are approaching a point at which it will be impossible to stop the spread of Covid-19.

US has had more than 4 million infections and more than 140,000 deaths, including 3,000 since Tuesday. It is on track to lose more than 200,000 Americans to coronavirus before November 1. Yesterday, more than 150 public health experts wrote an open letter to Trump, Congress, and the state governors begging them to “shut it down now, and start over.” The rapid spread of the virus this summer is striking, taking just 15 days to go from 3 million confirmed cases to 4 million. By comparison, the increase from 1 million cases to 2 million spanned 45 days from April 28 to June 11, and the leap to 3 million then took 27 days. Nearly every public health metric suggests America is badly losing its fight against the virus.  Positivity rates have reached alarming levels in numerous states, hospitalizations are soaring, and more than 1,100 new coronavirus deaths were reported across the United States on Wednesday, marking the first time since May 29 that the daily count exceeded that number, according to Washington Post tracking.  As a result, many businesses appear to be pulling back after their attempts to resume more normal operations proved premature, and an additional 1.4 million American workers filed for unemployment benefits last week. It was the first time since March that new claims rose.

July 25:  Qatar reported 398 new cases, bringing total to 109,036.  Officials have tested 469,000 people, with 4,326 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 106,024.  ICU patients currently number 98, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 164. 

A large new study from South Korea shows that children younger than 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do, but the risk is not zero. And those between the ages of 10 and 19 can spread the virus at least as well as adults do. For more on the topic, see here.

The tiny neighboring Middle Eastern sheikdoms of Bahrain and Qatar have the world’s highest per-capita rates of coronavirus infections, fueled initially by the virus sweeping undetected through camps housing healthy young migrant workers, studies show. But both countries’ COVID-19 fatality rates remain strikingly low.  In Qatar, a new study found that nearly 60% of those testing positive showed no symptoms at all, calling into question the usefulness of mass temperature checks meant to stop the infected from mingling with others. In Bahrain, authorities put the asymptomatic figure even higher, at 68%.  These results reflect both the wider problems faced by Gulf Arab countries reliant on cheap foreign labor and their relative success in tracking their COVID-19 outbreaks. Aggressive testing boosted the number of confirmed cases as health officials in Bahrain and Qatar targeted vulnerable labor camps and neighborhoods.  In Qatar, nearly 30% of those found infected were from India, while 18% were Nepalis and 14% were Bangladeshis, according to a study by Abu Raddad and others.  Qatar, with a population of 2.8 million people, has reported more than 107,000 cases of the coronavirus and 163 deaths. Bahrain, with a population of 1.6 million, has reported more than 37,000 cases and 130 deaths. Strikingly, the fatality rate in the two countries remains low, with Qatar at 0.15% and Bahrain at 0.34%. The U.S. rate is around 3.6%.  The high number of asymptomatic individuals in both sheikdoms means that once the coronavirus reaches a new population, it greatly raises the risk of people unknowingly spreading it while feeling fine.

These charts track the history of the pandemic in Qatar. 

July 26:  Qatar reported 269 new cases, bringing total to 109,305.  Officials have tested 472,442 people, with 3,442 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 106,024.  ICU patients currently number 89, with 2 admissions in the last 24 hours. One death of an 75-year old occurred in the last 24 hours.  The death toll stands at 165. 

July 27:  Qatar reported 292 new cases, bringing total to 109,597.  Officials have tested 477,194 people, with 4,752 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 106,328.  ICU patients currently number 92, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours  The death toll stands at 165. 

Officials announce Phase 3 reopening beginning July 28, 2020.  Among other directives, officials state that malls to continue to operate at 50%.  Children under 12 are not allowed. Souqs to operate with a maximum capacity of 75% (capacity will be determined according to risk assessment by the relevant government agencies) and wholesale markets to continue to operate at 30% capacity.

As part of the Phase 3 reopening, officials will open an additional 300 mosques. 

Officials provide guidelines for re-opening gyms.

Officials provide guidelines for beauty salons and barbershops. 

Pre-approved restaurants may reopen. 

The US on Friday came just short of breaking its single-day record for new coronavirus cases, adding more than 73,400, the second-highest daily total, and signaling that infection rates show no signs of slowing.  The single-day record, set on July 16, is 75,697 cases. Since June 24, the seven-day average has more than doubled, from 31,402 to more than 66,100 on Friday.  Friday was also the fourth consecutive day with more than 1,100 deaths reported.  The number of people known to be hospitalized with the coronavirus in the United States was 59,670, according to the Covid Tracking Project, a few hundred short of the record of 59,940 reported by the database on April 15.

US deaths exceed 150,000.

Worldwide, 16.5 million people have been infected with 655,113 deaths. 

July 28:  Qatar reported 283 new cases, bringing total to 109,880.  Officials have tested 481,930 people, with 4,736 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 106,603.  ICU patients currently number 92, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 23 and 67 years old.  The death toll stands at 167.

July 29:  Qatar reported 273 new cases, bringing total to 110,153.  Officials have tested 487,435 people, with 5,505 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 106,849.  ICU patients currently number 97, with 8 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 60 and 61 years old.  The death toll stands at 169.

Workers in beauty salons, barbershops, and gyms tested for COVID-19. 

For a summary of what we know about the virus, see here. 

July 30:  Qatar reported 307 new cases, bringing total to 110,460.  Officials have tested 492,569 people, with 5,134 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 107,135.  ICU patients currently number 91, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. Two deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 63 years old.  The death toll stands at 171.

Infected children have at least as much of the coronavirus in their noses and throats as infected adults, according to the research. Indeed, children younger than age 5 may host up to 100 times as much of the virus in the upper respiratory tract as adults, the authors found.  That measurement does not necessarily prove children are passing the virus to others. Still, the findings should influence the debate over reopening schools, several experts said.

In US, the leading authority on infectious disease expressed hope in April that no more than 60,000 people in the country would die from the coronavirus. A revered research center predicted a few weeks later that the figure would be just over 70,000 people by early August. When the number of deaths shot up in May, President Trump said that anywhere between 75,000 and 100,000 people could die.  On Wednesday, the nation’s death toll surpassed 150,000.  That the figure has soared so soon and so far beyond those estimates illustrates how difficult it can be to accurately forecast the spread of the virus, or the way citizens and politicians will respond to it.  “The aspect which is really impossible to predict is human behavior,” said Virginia Pitzer, a professor of epidemiology at Yale. “To what extent are people going to socially distance themselves? To what extent are politics going to influence whether you wear a mask? All of these factors are impossible to factor in.”

People in US are dying at 17 times the rate of deaths in Europe and Canada.

July 31:  Qatar reported 235 new cases, bringing total to 110,695.  Officials have tested 495,377 people, with 2,808 tests taken in the last 24 hours.  Recovered cases stand at 107,377.  ICU patients currently number 77, with 2 admissions in the last 24 hours. Three deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of persons 53, 58, and 64 years old.  The death toll stands at 174.