Tribune News NetworkDohaQatar on Sunday recorded 159 new COVID-19 cases — 112 from within the community and 47 among travellers returning from abroad. The Ministry of Public Health also reported 179 recoveries. With this, the active cases in Qatar declined to 1,952 while the total recoveries jumped to 140,866.No new deaths linked to the virus were recorded in the last 24 hours, leaving the death toll so far at 244.Current COVID-19 StatusMeasures to tackle COVID-19 in Qatar have succeeded in flattening the curve and limiting the spread of the virus and the number of new daily cases and hospital admissions is continuing to decline each week.  Qatar’s proactive and extensive testing of suspected cases has enabled us to identify a high number of positive cases in the community.  Qatar has one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world. This is a result of:*Very high quality of care provided thorough the public healthcare sector for COVID-19 patients *Qatar’s young population *Proactive testing to identify cases early *Expanding hospital capacity, especially intensive care, to ensure all patients receive the medical care they need *Protecting the elderly and those with chronic diseases.*Even though restrictions are being lifted, and numbers are declining, this does not mean that the COVID-19 pandemic is finished in Qatar – every day between 50 and 100 people are admitted to hospital with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms.  *Unless we follow all precautionary measures, we may experience a second wave of the virus and see numbers increasing – there are already signs of this happening in other countries around the world. *Avoid close contact with others, crowded places and confined closed spaces where other people aggregate.  *Now more than ever, we must be careful and protect the most vulnerable.What You Can Do While the restrictions of COVID-19 are gradually being lifted in Qatar, it is important for everyone to play their role in controlling the virus by following precautionary measures:*Adherence to physical distancing. *Avoid close contact with others, crowded places and confined closed spaces where other people congregate. *Wearing a face mask *Washing hands regularly.  *Most importantly, it is vital that we continue to protect the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions.  *Anyone suffering from COVID-19 symptoms should either contact 16000 helpline or go directly to one of the designated health centers to undergo the necessary checks: Muaither, Rawdat Al Khail, Umm Slal, or Al Gharafa Health Center.