The past few days witnessed an increase in COVID-19 infections, number of hospital admissions and cases requiring admission to intensive care. Only yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) reported 363 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which 330 were from community while 33 from travellers returning from abroad.
The main reason behind this sudden rise is people’s lax behaviour in adhering to precautionary measures like wearing masks, gatherings, weddings, and other social events, which have lead to occurrence of many hot spots according to the Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at HMC, Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, as he expressed in a press conference held on Thursday.
The number of daily infections, in the past few days, have doubled which is definitely a source for concern and indicates signs of a possible new wave of the pandemic in Qatar, said Al Khal, expressing concern over possible arrival of new strains of the rapidly-spreading virus to Qatar. All this happening after a significant drop in virus cases throughout the few past months, what encouraged the competent authorities to ease restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. The measures taken by the government had succeeded in flattening the curve and limiting the spread of the virus and the number of new daily cases and hospital admissions were continually declining for months.
Qatar is one of the countries which has the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world, thanks to healthcare system, proactive approach, extensive testing, young population, measures taken to controls the spread of the virus with special care for the most vulnerable segments of the society. Although restrictions are being gradually lifted in light of the declining number of cases but it does not mean that the COVID-19 pandemic threat is over in Qatar or anywhere in the world and this is what new daily reports tell us. Unless all of us follow all precautionary measures strictly, the country may experience a second wave of the virus.
No doubt, like many past months, there is still high importance of individuals’ role under gradual lifting of the restrictions of COVID-19 to follow precaution while the government is committed to provide vaccine to all citizens and residents before the end of 2021 as per approved priority plan.
Therefore people must continue to adhere to physical distancing, avoid crowded places, wear face masks, wash/sanitise hands regularly and protect elderly and people with chronic diseases. Individual role from society is essential to avoid the possibility of re-imposing COVID-19 restrictions that were previously applied including temporary closure of some activities.
