In today’s coronavirus (COVID-19) statistics, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) announced that Qatar recorded 776 new cases and 98 new recoveries.

The Ministry explained that most of the new cases are due to expatriate workers who have been infected with the virus as a result of contact with individuals who have been previously infected – theses cases have been identified as a result of investigations carried out by the Ministry.

The remainder of new cases infected with the virus has come from citizens and residents who have contracted the virus from members of their families, who in turn had contracted the virus through their workplaces or other places where they had been too exposed to infected people.

All the new infected cases have been quarantined where they are receiving the necessary medical care.

The MoPH stated that during the current period it expects to see a fluctuation in the number of cases of infection. This is for several reasons including that the outbreak of the virus is considered to be at the peak stage before the numbers of infections start to descend gradually.

The Ministry has also recently stepped up efforts to track the transitional chains of the virus and expand the search for people infected by conducting extensive and proactive investigations of large numbers of contacts with people who have recently been confirmed with the disease.

The number of tests carried out will always depend on the number of contacts a positive patient has had which therefore has an impact on the number of positive cases reported daily.

The MoPH stated that people with the virus do not show any symptoms of the disease, and their positive status is identified thanks to the early tests conducted by specialized ministry teams, in order to provide early care to them and reduce the risk of them transferring the virus to other people.

Also, many of the recorded cases experience mild symptoms and do not require any medical intervention, but are quarantined and given access to medical care and support. However, it is important to continue to remember that COVID-19 can be severe for the elderly as well as those with chronic diseases.

The MoPH calls on all members of society to stay at home and not go out except in cases of necessity and to implement preventive measures and maintain physical distancing, including in the workplace and public places. The Ministry reminds people to use a face mask as recommended and avoid social visits to reduce their risk of contracting the virus.

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself. 

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