Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar is still in the peak phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone must be careful during the blessed Eid Al Fitr and celebrate it at home to ensure social distancing, a senior health official has said.
"The COVID-19 infection rate stabilised three days ago, but Qatar is still in the peak phase. We’ll continue to record cases of infection between 1,000 and 1,600 every day. It is difficult to predict the end of this period because it depends on the commitment of people to social distancing,” Dr Abdullatif al Khal, Co-Chair of the National Pandemic Preparedness Committee and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
"It is encouraging that the number of patients making a full recovery from the virus is increasing every day and this week the total number of recovered cases has surpassed 6,000,” Dr Khal noted.
"The number of daily recoveries is increasing in part due to new international guidelines on the timeframe for when patients are no longer contagious, meaning they can be safely discharged sooner,” he said.
Dr Khal pointed out that while the majority of patients with COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, "we’re seeing an increase in the number of patients with more severe symptoms.”
"Throughout the past week, on an average 20 patients have been admitted to intensive care units daily as a result of serious complications.”
A total of 6,600 cases have been cured so far and 170,437 people have been examined in the country.
"The age group of 25-34 years constitutes 35.53 percent of the total cases infected with the virus. About 383 cases were discharged from intensive care, and the number of cases in intensive care is currently 172,” he added.
The number of people who entered intensive care has reached 555 since the beginning of the pandemic.
"Thanks to the efforts of healthcare professionals Qatar, we have managed to limit the spread of the epidemic and deaths caused by this virus,” he added.
The number of infections in the age group of 45-54 years has increased over the past week.
"The chances of getting infection in a car are greater than it is at home and we advise against visiting, especially at this time because we are in the peak stage.” Dr Khal added.
Dr Khal said, "Eid is traditionally a time of year when we socialise and celebrate with family and friends, but this year must be different. It is really important that you stay at home and only go out when it is absolutely necessary and that you follow social and physical distancing measures.”
He said there has been a recent spike in infection among Qataris and residents (outside the workers’ category) due to "gatherings during Ramadan and lack of commitment to adhere to preventive measures”.
"We’re seeing many examples where the virus is spreading rapidly among members of the same family, even if they do not share a household, due to families visiting each other and socialising during Ramadan,” he added.
"We should not visit relatives in person and should exchange greetings through phone calls and messages,” Dr Khal said.
Dr Khal said more than 30,000 patients are under treatment for the virus infection in Qatar 80 days after the first case was reported in the country.
Reiterating the importance of Qatar’s COVID-19 contact-tracing app Ehteraz, Dr Khal said the app has many advantages in helping to limit the spread of the virus.
The application will let you know if you have come in contact with an infected person, without his or her knowledge, Dr Khal said.
"We all have a role to play in successfully overcoming this pandemic. We ask the public to work with the healthcare sector and play their part,” he added.
Dr Muna al Maslamani, Medical Director of Communicable Disease Center, said 94 percent of people with COVID-19 show mild or no symptoms.
While 5 percent need hospitalization, only 1 percent need access to the intensive care unit, she added.
Around 74 patients in ICU need ventilators and 11 need oxygen support, Dr Maslamani said.
"We have been using plasma treatment for patients admitted to the Communicable Disease Center, with plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19,” she said.
"To date, more than 100 patients have received plasma from around 96 recovered donors and the team is seeing the number of donations from recovered patients rise each week,” she added.
Doha
Qatar is still in the peak phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone must be careful during the blessed Eid Al Fitr and celebrate it at home to ensure social distancing, a senior health official has said.
"The COVID-19 infection rate stabilised three days ago, but Qatar is still in the peak phase. We’ll continue to record cases of infection between 1,000 and 1,600 every day. It is difficult to predict the end of this period because it depends on the commitment of people to social distancing,” Dr Abdullatif al Khal, Co-Chair of the National Pandemic Preparedness Committee and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
"It is encouraging that the number of patients making a full recovery from the virus is increasing every day and this week the total number of recovered cases has surpassed 6,000,” Dr Khal noted.
"The number of daily recoveries is increasing in part due to new international guidelines on the timeframe for when patients are no longer contagious, meaning they can be safely discharged sooner,” he said.
Dr Khal pointed out that while the majority of patients with COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, "we’re seeing an increase in the number of patients with more severe symptoms.”
"Throughout the past week, on an average 20 patients have been admitted to intensive care units daily as a result of serious complications.”
A total of 6,600 cases have been cured so far and 170,437 people have been examined in the country.
"The age group of 25-34 years constitutes 35.53 percent of the total cases infected with the virus. About 383 cases were discharged from intensive care, and the number of cases in intensive care is currently 172,” he added.
The number of people who entered intensive care has reached 555 since the beginning of the pandemic.
"Thanks to the efforts of healthcare professionals Qatar, we have managed to limit the spread of the epidemic and deaths caused by this virus,” he added.
The number of infections in the age group of 45-54 years has increased over the past week.
"The chances of getting infection in a car are greater than it is at home and we advise against visiting, especially at this time because we are in the peak stage.” Dr Khal added.
Dr Khal said, "Eid is traditionally a time of year when we socialise and celebrate with family and friends, but this year must be different. It is really important that you stay at home and only go out when it is absolutely necessary and that you follow social and physical distancing measures.”
He said there has been a recent spike in infection among Qataris and residents (outside the workers’ category) due to "gatherings during Ramadan and lack of commitment to adhere to preventive measures”.
"We’re seeing many examples where the virus is spreading rapidly among members of the same family, even if they do not share a household, due to families visiting each other and socialising during Ramadan,” he added.
"We should not visit relatives in person and should exchange greetings through phone calls and messages,” Dr Khal said.
Dr Khal said more than 30,000 patients are under treatment for the virus infection in Qatar 80 days after the first case was reported in the country.
Reiterating the importance of Qatar’s COVID-19 contact-tracing app Ehteraz, Dr Khal said the app has many advantages in helping to limit the spread of the virus.
The application will let you know if you have come in contact with an infected person, without his or her knowledge, Dr Khal said.
"We all have a role to play in successfully overcoming this pandemic. We ask the public to work with the healthcare sector and play their part,” he added.
Dr Muna al Maslamani, Medical Director of Communicable Disease Center, said 94 percent of people with COVID-19 show mild or no symptoms.
While 5 percent need hospitalization, only 1 percent need access to the intensive care unit, she added.
Around 74 patients in ICU need ventilators and 11 need oxygen support, Dr Maslamani said.
"We have been using plasma treatment for patients admitted to the Communicable Disease Center, with plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19,” she said.
"To date, more than 100 patients have received plasma from around 96 recovered donors and the team is seeing the number of donations from recovered patients rise each week,” she added.