The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Saturday reported 1,026 new confirmed cases of (Covid-19) along with 1,354 new recoveries in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of people having recovered in Qatar to 66,763 cases.

In addition, the ministry also reported one new death on Saturday.

The MoPH said in the last 24 hours, there were 14 new cases admitted to intensive care due to health complications resulting from infection with the virus, bringing the total number of cases currently in critical care to 224, the official Qatar News Agency reported.



In a statement, the ministry said the new cases had the virus transmitted to them from people who had been previously infected, as the MoPH continued to conduct investigative and proactive testing, contributing to the early detection of cases.

The new confirmed cases of infection have been introduced to complete isolation at various medical facilities in the country, where they receive the necessary care according to the health status of each case.

The ministry explained that the death recorded on Saturday was of a person aged 42 years. "The Ministry of Public Health offers sincere condolences and great sympathy to the families of the deceased," the statement added.

The MoPH confirmed that efforts to tackle Covid-19 in Qatar have succeeded in flattening the curve and reducing the impact of the virus by a large percentage thanks to the decisions of the ban, the preventive measures taken and the awareness and co-operation of all members of society, and that there are relatively low average numbers in relation to the recorded cases of new hospital admissions.

Further, it said Qatar has now started to overcome the peak stage of the virus outbreak thanks to the measures taken by the State to address it, in addition to the commitment of community members to the recommendations and preventive instructions, the most important of which are social distancing, staying at home, not going out except when it is a necessity and not mixing.

Anyone who has symptoms of Covid-19 should either quickly contact the 16000 helpline or go directly to one of the designated health centres for testing. This is important as the earlier the disease is detected, the easier it will be to receive the right treatment and recover from it, the ministry said.

The main screening centers include the Muaither, Rawdat Al Khail, Umm Slal Health Centre and Gharrafat Al Rayyan health centres.

The MoPH has reaffirmed the necessity for the elderly or those suffering from chronic diseases and their family members to follow strict methods and precautions to reduce the risk of infection and work to protect them from infection by refraining from social visits, wearing a face mask and cleaning the hands when near them.

It said since June 15, Qatar has started gradually lifting restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic in four stages, based on extensive data and studies conducted by the authorities concerned in the country as well as international experiences where other countries have succeeded in limiting the spread of the virus while gradually lifting the restrictions imposed by them.

Preventive measures should continue to be observed throughout the gradual lifting of restrictions as failure to do so may lead to the return of the virus outbreak in the country.

The ministry has warned that lifting the restrictions gradually does not mean the disappearance of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the development of the gradual lifting plan, priorities were taken into consideration while taking full care to avoid the risks that may arise from the process of lifting, stressing that each stage will be subject to evaluation and review based on the curve of the spread of the virus, as the success of each phase that depends on everyone's commitment to implementing the required precautions.

The MoPH has also stressed that the pandemic posed a great challenge to all countries and affected all societies in different ways. Therefore, it is important to realise that all the precautionary measures taken aim primarily to protect public health and individuals from this virus, taking into account all other aspects of life, whether social or economic.

The ministry has recommended visiting its website regularly to view the latest information and instructions related to Covid-19.