Three New COVID-19 Cases Brings Total Number to 11 in Qatar

The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has announced three new cases of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 in the country. As of Friday, 6th March 2020, there is a total of 11 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Qatar.

The latest cases include two Qatari citizens and a family member of another nationality who had recently returned from Iran. They have all been admitted to the Communicable Diseases Centre, where they are under complete isolation and in stable conditions.

Three New COVID-19 Cases Brings Total Number to 11 in Qatar
Image Credit: moph.gov.qa

MOPH Confirms 3 New Cases of COVID-19 in Qatar

Through a press release, the Ministry assured the public that all of the infected cases have not had contact with the community since they arrived. Hence, the risk of a disease outbreak in the State of Qatar remains low.

In the meantime, the MOPH continues to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Upon arrival in Qatar, all incoming travelers are subjected to thermal cameras for initial detection. At the airport, a medical clinic has also been set up to address suspected cases of the novel coronavirus.

For any inquiries and concerns about COVID-19, the Ministry has also established a dedicated, round-the-clock call centre. Simply call their toll-free, hotline number 16000. You may also visit this website that the MOPH has created to provide the citizens and residents of Qatar with a reliable source of information regarding the novel coronavirus.

Three New COVID-19 Cases Brings Total Number to 11 in Qatar

Total Number of COVID-19 Cases Surpasses 100,000 Worldwide

Also on Friday, the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 100,000 worldwide, CNBC reported. The virus continues to spread outside Wuhan, China, where COVID-19 is reported to have originated from.

Citing data gathered by Johns Hopkins University, CNBC reported that the total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide is at 100,055 as of 8:00 am (Eastern Time) on Friday. Majority of these cases are in mainland China, followed by South Korea, Iran, and Italy. The data also shows that ever since the novel coronavirus emerged around two months ago, at least 3,398 people have died around the world.

In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on all countries to “pull out all the stops” in fighting against the novel coronavirus. During a press briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on every country to “act with speed, scale, and clear-minded determination.”

The Director-General also said that world health officials are worried about the growing number of countries reporting cases of COVID-19, especially those who have weaker health-care systems. He is also concerned that some countries may not be taking the situation seriously, or worse, have decided that there is nothing they can do to contain local outbreaks.

Previously, health officials have stated that COVID-19 can spread through coughing, sneezing, human-to-human contact, and even through germs left on inanimate objects.

Amid all these alarming news and numbers regarding the spread of COVID-19, let us strive to remain calm and follow the recommendations and procedures set by local and international authorities. In addition, please take time to read our post about how you can protect yourself from the novel coronavirus.