Middle East Experience

Saudi Arabia confirmed 2,171 new coronavirus cases, raising the total to 91,182 on Wednesday, according to the health ministry.Despite the increasing daily cases, the Kingdom’s recovery rate is over 74 percent with 68,159 individuals having recovered so far. Saudi Arabia has also seen a relatively low death toll with 579 fatalities recorded as of June 3.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The health minister last week said the country’s high recovery numbers and low death rate are a result of the Kingdom’s treatment protocols.“We have treatment protocols developed by Saudi experts,” Dr. Tawfiq al-Rabiah told Al Arabiya. “These protocols are continuously updated with any new global developments related to treatments and procedures.”Of the currently active 22,444 cases, 1,321 are in critical conditions, the health ministry said in a statement.Kingdom lifts restrictionsThe Kingdom recently began lifting restrictions including allowing movement for residents within the country and travel between its provinces. More shops, including wholesale, retail and malls, have also been allowed to reopen, as long as all precautionary measures are adhered to.The health minister confirmed to Al Arabiya that Saudi Arabia does not plan to return to lockdowns and further restrictions, however, this depends largely on society’s knowledge and compliance with precautionary measures in order to resume lifting restrictions.“We are in the same boat,” al-Rabiah said. “If we all comply, then we will make it to safety. [Whoever doesn’t comply] will take us back [to restrictions].”The health minister said Saudi Arabia continues to pursue the best available treatments, and if a vaccine become available, the Kingdom will strive to provide it as soon as possible.Read more:More than 70 pct of Saudi Arabia's coronavirus cases have recovered: MinisterSaudi Arabia cases could reach 200,000 within weeks, says ministerSaudi Arabia sets guidelines for malls, industrial sector, as it reopens
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia records 2,171 new cases as total surpasses 90,000

Faced with mounting financial difficulties due to the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and a continued boycott from the Arab quartet, Qatar Airways is slashing its workforce and requesting deferment of its airplane deliveries..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Qatar’s state airline’s financial woes force it to slash workforce, defer orders

Tunisian expat Younes Yangui, who works for a beauty and personal care company, said the reopening makes people more hopeful about the future..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Combating coronavirus: Dubai office-goers back to work with masks, gloves on

Dubai is developing an innovative digital dashboard to monitor and predict the spread of COVID-19 in the emirate, the Dubai Media Office announced on Wednesday.The emirate’s COVID-19 Command and Control Centre (CCC) has collaborated with Smart Dubai to develop the innovative digital dashboard which is based on accurate and consistently updated real-time data to help facilitate effective containment measures.Developed through a well-known epidemiology equation known as SEIR (Susceptible Exposed Infected Resistant), the dashboard helps in processing and analyzing the data, and provides perceptions and predictions on COVID-19 developments, according to a statement carried by Dubai Media Office.“With the guidance of our leadership and the concerted efforts of the government and private sector, we were able to build a database filled with accurate information about the frequency of the spread of the virus in Dubai. This platform is crucial in supporting the decision-making process to effectively confront the spread of the virus based on available information and up-to-date data on the actual spread of the pandemic in Dubai, and the state of the healthcare system in the city,” said Dr. Amer Sharif, Head of Dubai’s COVID-19 Command and Control Centre (CCC) said.He added: “creating the future is not just improvised decisions, but rather strategic plans based on knowledge, and clear goals based on accurate statistics and real data. Every step is calculated based on data.”Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The dashboard was the result of a close collaboration between CCC, Smart Dubai, and the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU).The dashboard collates and monitors crucial information on total number of infections by type – asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, moderately symptomatic, and severely symptomatic ; cumulative numbers of infections, recoveries, and critical cases across Dubai.Read more:Nearly half of UAE residents rank life insurance as key concern following coronavirusCoronavirus: Resuming economic activities in the UAE is ‘necessary’, says Dubai RulerCoronavirus: Dubai Health Authority to phase in non-urgent healthcare servicesIt utilizes a variety of factors including demographics displaying per capita infections, geographical distribution of infections across Dubai, and cases in isolation facilities, along with logistical information such as the number of facilities and medical supplies available at each.“Over the past years and through the Dubai Data and Smart Dubai, we have been able to establish a data experience that is one of the most comprehensive and innovative globally. The COVID-19 pandemic was a real test to our capabilities when it comes to data, and therefore we employed the available infrastructure to find the best ways to support decision-making processes to control this pandemic.” said Younus al-Nasser, CEO of Dubai Data, an initiative of Smart Dubai, and Leader of the Technology and Data team at the COVID-19 Command and Control Centre.He added: “The dashboard plays an important role in the gradual reopening of various industries in Dubai, as the dashboard data will allow us to support decisions for the safe return of business activities and daily life in the coming period.”For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.In collaboration with Smart Dubai and its data scientists, the dashboard was linked with the Dubai Health Authority’s Hasana Program, a public health system that monitors and manages infectious diseases and epidemics, by connecting government and private healthcare sectors in Dubai, and their partners, using a unified system for managing diseases and outbreaks.This system enables users to review results to support decision making, and can send electronic notifications on the availability of laboratory results and disease status.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Dubai develops digital dashboard to monitor, predict spread of coronavirus

MDA chief: 'We are happy to share knowledge... for the sake of saving human lives'
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Congo's first 'Drive-Thru' COVID-19 testing facility established with MDA

"The government is supposed to serve the public. What they are doing is awful," Naftali Bennett said.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Netanyahu briefs Lapid for the first time since formation of new gov't

By initiating the call with Czaputowicz, Ashkenazi showed that he was no Israel Katz.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: With Ashkenazi as FM, Israel and Poland can now hit 'reset'- analysis

Moroccan actress Mariam Hussein has been attacked on Instagram for posting a ‘blackface’ photo of herself, meant as an act of solidarity with Americans protesting the killing of George Floyd..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Moroccan actress condemned for posting ‘blackface’ photo of herself in 'solidarity' with US protesters

US frustration with settler demands grows.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Trump administration has not given Israel any annexation guidelines

Abbas extends state of emergency as coronavirus cases rise
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Netanyahu determines to keep schools open as COVID-19 infections spike