Bahrain Says Covid-19 Infection Curve Starting to Flatten

Bahrain Says Covid-19 Infection Curve Starting to Flatten
TT
20

Bahrain Says Covid-19 Infection Curve Starting to Flatten

Bahrain Says Covid-19 Infection Curve Starting to Flatten

Bahrain is witnessing the flattening of the curve of Covid-19 infections, reflecting the people’s commitment to health measures, said senior member Dr. Jameela Al Salman of the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus.

Salman urged citizens and residents to continue comply with to precautionary measures “to achieve the desired goal of eliminating the virus”.

She said that between January and May 2021, 665 people died from the virus and that 90 percent of the fatalities were not vaccinated. People who have been vaccinated and still passed away were already suffering from chronic diseases.

Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health and member of the Taskforce, Dr., Waleed Khalifa Al Manea, highlighted the decision made last week to raise the capacity of the number of daily vaccination doses to 31,000 across 31 health centers across the kingdom.

Infectious Disease Consultant and Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and member of the Taskforce, Lt. Col. Dr., Manaf Al Qahtani, clarified and addressed some of the speculation in the media about the reasons for the increase in the number of cases in intensive care units, which topped 300 by June 2.

He revealed that on June 1, the number of cases in intensive care wards reached 326, of which 270, or 83 percent, had not been vaccinated.



Egypt Tightens Measures to Prevent Another Crisis of Illegal Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
TT
20

Egypt Tightens Measures to Prevent Another Crisis of Illegal Hajj Pilgrims

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei in Riyadh. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

Egypt is intensifying its measures to prevent another crisis of illegal Hajj pilgrims, which had taken place in 2024 when thousands of people exploited visas to enter Saudi Arabia to illegally perform the Hajj.

Egyptian authorities had warned companies against flying travelers without the right visa. Coordination and communication are ongoing with Saudi authorities over the issue.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz received in Riyadh Egyptian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ehab Abou Srei for talks on the measures Cairo is taking ahead of the upcoming Hajj season to avoid another crisis.

Egypt has formed a committee, headed by the prime minister, to manage the Hajj crisis.

A statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said the ambassador stressed that firm measures will be taking against companies that commit violations related to the Hajj.

Last week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi formed a “crisis cell” that has referred 16 officials from a tourism company to the general prosecution for Hajj violations.

Egyptian authorities have hailed Saudi Arabia for providing all forms of support to legal pilgrims during the Hajj.

Member of the parliamentary tourism committee Ahmed Idriss said state agencies have taken measures to avert a new Hajj crisis in 2025.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said efforts have focused on combating fake entities that claim to be organizing Hajj trips, and on coordinating with Saudi authorities to crackdown on violators.