UAE, Morocco Consider Reinstating Restrictions as COVID Cases Climb
The latest COVID-19 information and statistics for the Middle East and North Africa
The United Arab Emirates and Morocco could reimpose restrictions to contain an increase in coronavirus cases in both countries.
In the UAE, a government official said that the Gulf state is considering reintroducing overnight curfews in some areas of the country if the number of COVID-19 infections increases there.
National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority spokesman Seif al-Zahri confirmed in an interview with Emirates TV that nightly curfews could return.
The number of daily infections in the UAE has increased to over 400 this week for the first time since mid-July, with 461 cases and two deaths reported on Thursday.
In Morocco, King Mohammed VI said on Thursday that the country could return to a complete coronavirus lockdown unless an increase in cases was brought down.
New cases nationally have surged since Morocco lifted its three-month lockdown in late June, hitting a record high of 1,766 on August 15.
According to the latest data from the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker as of Friday, the number of total infections in Morocco stood at 47,638 with 775 deaths and 32,806 recoveries.
Egypt
The Egyptian Health and Population Ministry posted to its Facebook page on Tuesday a warning that smoking hookah increases the risk of spreading COVID-19, calling on Egyptians to “stop smoking or sharing it with others.” The World Health Organization in May stated on its website that “smoking waterpipes, also known as shisha or hookah, often involves the sharing of mouth pieces and hoses, which could facilitate the transmission of the COVID-19 virus in communal and social settings.”
Jordan
Jordan on Wednesday closed the Al-Omari Border Crossing with Saudi Arabia after recording 18 coronavirus cases among workers at the terminal, according to Al-Ghad newspaper. The move comes a week after Jordan shut the Jaber Border Crossing with Syria to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. There has been an increase in coronavirus cases in Jordan attributed to activities at the border crossings.
Syria
Syria on Wednesday recorded its first coronavirus fatality in the northwestern city of Idlib, according to health officials. An 80-year-old woman with chronic kidney failure died from COVID-19, Syrian Interim Government Health Minister Maram al-Sheikh told reporters. A total of 54 people in opposition-held areas of Syria have been confirmed to have coronavirus infections, of which 46 have recovered, according to official data.
Kuwait
Kuwait on Thursday reported 622 new coronavirus cases and two additional deaths, bringing the total number of infections to 78,767 and the death toll to 509, the Health Ministry said in a statement. The Health Ministry also announced that 871 more patients had recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 70,642.
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers for the Middle East and North Africa as of 7 am UTC on Friday.
Country | Confirmed cases | Deaths | Recovered | Active Cases |
Afghanistan | 37,856 | 1,385 | 27,681 | 8,790 |
Algeria | 40,258 | 1,411 | 28,281 | 10,566 |
Bahrain | 48,303 | 179 | 44,628 | 3,496 |
Cyprus | 1,395 | 20 | 878 | 497 |
Djibouti | 5,374 | 59 | 5,216 | 99 |
Egypt | 97,025 | 5,212 | 63,462 | 28,351 |
Iran | 352,558 | 20,264 | 304,236 | 28,058 |
Iraq | 192,797 | 6,208 | 137,200 | 49,389 |
Israel | 99,599 | 795 | 74,579 | 24,225 |
Jordan | 1,498 | 11 | 1,261 | 226 |
Kuwait | 78,767 | 509 | 70,642 | 7,616 |
Lebanon | 10,952 | 113 | 3,040 | 7,799 |
Libya | 9,707 | 173 | 1,047 | 8,487 |
Mauritania | 6,848 | 158 | 6,123 | 567 |
Morocco | 47,638 | 775 | 32,806 | 14,057 |
Oman | 83,769 | 609 | 78,386 | 4,774 |
Pakistan | 291,588 | 6,219 | 273,579 | 11,790 |
Palestinian Territories | 17,989 | 120 | 10,682 | 7,187 |
Qatar | 116,224 | 193 | 112,924 | 3,107 |
Saudi Arabia | 303,973 | 3,548 | 275,476 | 24,949 |
Somalia | 3,265 | 93 | 2,396 | 776 |
Sudan | 12,582 | 812 | 6,456 | 5,314 |
Syria | 2,008 | 82 | 460 | 1,466 |
Tunisia | 2,543 | 63 | 1,397 | 1,083 |
Turkey | 254,520 | 6,058 | 234,797 | 13,665 |
United Arab Emirates | 65,802 | 369 | 58,153 | 7,280 |
Yemen | 1,899 | 541 | 1,058 | 300 |
Total | 2,186,737 | 55,979 | 1,856,844 | 273,914 |