More COVID-19 recoveries likely in coming days: CDC

Tribune News NetworkDohaThe number of people recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19) will increase rapidly in the coming days, Communicable Diseases Center (CDC) Medical Director Dr Muna al Maslamani has said.Dr Maslamani said the initial results from plasma treatment are promising, but there is a need to treat large number of patients to reach definitive conclusion.“We have now entered the peak stage of the virus spread. Therefore, we are now witnessing an increase in the number of cases every day. It is not possible to set a specific date to reach the end of the peak,” Dr Maslamani said in an interview with Qatar TV.“What should we do now is to follow the instructions set by the Ministry of Public Health and make sure that people remain at home, this will gradually reduce the number of infections,” she added.Dr Maslamani said, “It might seem difficult during Ramadan to comply with the rules of social distancing due to the customs associated with this month, but we must remember that each of us has a role to play in limiting the spread of the virus and contributing to reducing the numbers of infected people.”“Still we do not know many things about the virus and there are many theories being studied by leading scientists around the world,” she said.Dr Maslamani said currently there is a study being done in Qatar by the Ministry of Health and Hamad Medical Corporation in cooperation with Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar University and Weill Cornell to analyse the genomic data to find out the different genomic strains of this virus.“So far, we have not had any solid judgments about how this virus works.”She pointed out that most people do not realise that they are positive at first, whether they are in their homes or at their workplaces, and that is why it is very important to follow the preventive guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Public Health.“When we do not adhere to these guidelines, such as social distancing, wearing masks when going out, washing hands and sterilising them constantly, this increases the chance of infection and its spread among members of society,” she noted.Dr Maslamani said not realising the symptoms of infection may lead to a wrong estimate and perhaps some leniency, which facilitates transmission of infection between people.She said strict adherence to the instructions of the Ministry of Public Health is the best way to control the virus.