AS the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close, health officials in Qatar and other countries are rightly advising the public to observe the festive occasion of Eid Al Fitr at home. Eid is traditionally a time of the year when Muslims around the world socialise, and celebrate with friends and family. But this year is different, as the world is battling a pandemic which has killed more than 330,000 people worldwide. The country, as health officials have said, is passing through the peak phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, which makes it all the more important that people adhere to the guidelines issued by the authorities by staying at home and using protective masks and keeping distance from others if they have to go out.
The government has also put in place a number of special measures to safeguard the public against the coronavirus infection. All nonessential businesses and commercial activities will remain closed during the Eid Al Fitr holidays; wearing a face mask in public has been made mandatory for all; and starting today, all citizens and residents are required to have the Ehteraz app on their mobile phones when leaving their homes. The app helps track COVID-19 cases, informing users if they come into contact with anybody who has tested positive for COVID-19. According to health officials, it’s been around 80 days since the novel coronavirus first emerged in the country. Ever since, the country has recorded more than 38,000 confirmed cases of the infection. Of the total, more than 7,000 have fully recovered. The number of people recovering is on the rise with record 966 people making full recovery on Wednesday alone. This clearly shows the efficiency of the health system in the State of Qatar. The health authorities have also enhanced the testing capabilities. More than 175,000 people have been tested for the virus in the State of Qatar.
The country’s healthcare system has also been lauded for high recovery rate and a very low mortality rate. Qatar’s mortality rate of 0.04 percent --- 17 deaths out of more than 38,651 confirmed cases to date --- is among the lowest in the world. The Ministry of Public Health has said that the country has now entered the peak phase of the virus outbreak, which is seeing a rise in the number of infections recorded daily, and therefore it is necessary to adhere to, more than ever before, the preventive measures recommended by the authorities.
