Middle East Experience

Saudi Arabia’s coronavirus treatment protocol, extensive testing and active screenings have helped the Kingdom maintain its relatively low death rate, Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq al-Rabiah said on Wednesday.Even though the health ministry has reported an increasing number of daily new infection cases, al-Rabiah said the death rate remains at less than one percent, that’s 10 times lower than the global death rate, which is seven percent.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.The health sector has implemented a uniform treatment protocol developed by the Ministry of Health with a group of Saudi Arabian experts, according to al-Rabiah. The group meets daily to adjust the protocol accordingly based on new treatment methods, he added.He also said extensive testing and active screenings have contributed to the Kingdom’s success in combating the spread of the virus. These efforts have helped medical teams in identifying and tracking cases before they can further spread the virus. Early detection and treatment have also prevented conditions from getting worse.Since the start of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has worked to provide thousands of beds and ventilators for treating patients, according to the health minister.“The good news is that 96 percent [of the beds and ventilators] are vacant today,” al-Rabiah said. “And with the implementation of preventative measures, we will not need them.”However, the danger of such a pandemic still exits, according to al-Rabiah. He continued to urge people to comply with preventative measures and described residents as the Kingdom’s “partners in confronting the virus.”Saudi Arabia has so far recorded 30,251 confirmed cases, 5,431 recovered cases and 200 deaths.Read more:Saudi Arabia records 955 new daily recoveries, death toll hits 200Saudi Arabia eases coronavirus restrictions for two weeks: 6 questions answeredWith public iftars cancelled, restaurants in Saudi Arabia turn to delivery
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia maintains low death rate despite high infection numbers

Egypt's main sources of foreign currency have been tourism, remittances sent home from workers abroad, and Suez Canal revenues - which have all dropped sharply during the global lockdown in travel and trade
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Egypt reopens slowly to revive pandemic-hit economy

The first MENA healthcare company to use a combination of digital technologies and traditional healthcare to create a new, patient-centric model of care.
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: A unique model of Hybrid Healthcare from Sharjah Innovation Park

India's PMI figures provide the first real glimpse of the devastating hit to the economy from the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide shutdown that came into effect in the last week of March
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: World's worst PMI signals 15% contraction in India's economy

Whereas countries in the Middle East used to rely mostly on power stations fuelled by natural gas or crude, solar plants can now meet all of their likely growth in demand
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Middle East petro-states look past oil's crash to advance solar power plans

From the UAE to Saudi Arabia, the last decade has seen member countries open their borders ever wider to foreign workers, investment and ideas, writes Rafik Nayed, Group CEO at Al Salam Bank-Bahrain
Source: Arabian Business
Full Article: Opinion: globalisation is evolving, not dying - just look to the Middle East

Kuwait reported 485 new coronavirus cases and two virus-related deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 6,289 and the death toll to 42.Out of 2,219 recoveries, 187 cases recovered in the past 24 hours, according to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health.The ministry’s statement also said that 88 people are currently in intensive care units, 48 of whom are in a stable condition while 40 are in a critical condition.Kuwait imposed a 16-hour curfew from the hours of 5 p.m. to 6 a.m., halted all international flights until further notice, and suspended schools and universities until August.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Kuwait reports 485 new coronavirus cases, two deaths

Faced with problems brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and delays in the transfer of funding because of the yearlong political imbroglio, Druze and Circassian local authorities are already on the verge of bankruptcy.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Coronavirus crisis highlights Druze discrimination in Israel

Saudi Arabia reported 1,687 new coronavirus cases and nine new deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 31,938 and the virus-related death toll to 209, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.The Kingdom has witnessed 1,352 recoveries, bringing the number of total recovered cases in Saudi Arabia to 6,783.“Comprehensive testing is entering a new phase, self-evaluation. Around one million people self-evaluated themselves, this contributed to the early detection of cases,” health ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Abd al-Ali said.The new technique of self evaluation has helped in discovering 300 coronavirus infections, al-Ali said.For all the latest updates on coronavirus, visit our dedicated page.The highest number of newly-detected cases came from Jeddah, with 312 cases, after which came Mecca, Medina, and Taif. The below image shows the exact number of cases detected in the past 24 hours in different areas of the Kingdom.Out of the newly detected cases, 20 percent are females and 80 percent are males, the spokesman added.Saudi Arabia’s coronavirus treatment protocol, extensive testing, and active screenings have helped the Kingdom maintain its relatively low death rate, Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq al-Rabiah said on Wednesday.Even though the health ministry has reported an increasing number of daily new infection cases, al-Rabiah said the death rate remains at less than one percent, that’s 10 times lower than the global death rate, which is seven percent.Read more: Saudi Arabia maintains low death rate despite high infection numbersWedding ban amid coronavirus: Saudi Arabia trains 5,000 registrars in online marriageSaudi Arabia allows all nationalities to register to travel back home
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia confirms 1,687 new cases, nine deaths

Shops and industrial enterprises in Bahrain can open from Thursday while restaurants will stay closed to in-house diners, the Health Ministry said, as the Gulf state eases restrictions designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.Bahrain shuttered non-essential shops and businesses in late March and barred entry of foreign visitors, but did not impose a curfew, unlike some other Gulf states.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.Health Ministry officials told a news conference on Wednesday that employees and customers must wear face masks and practice physical distancing. Cinemas, sports facilities and salons remain closed.The small island state has reported 3,720 infections with eight deaths from the virus. The total count in the six Gulf Arab states exceeds 76,000 with 421 deaths.Other Gulf countries eased curfews and other social and business restrictions with the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan two weeks ago.Bahrain this week opened a 152-bed COVID-19 field hospital intensive care unit on an empty piece of land in Sitra, as part of a plan to create 500 additional ICU beds for critical cases.Read more:Life after coronavirus: Five things that may never go back to normalLife will not return to normal despite reopening, warn expertsSaudi Arabia confirms 1,687 new cases, nine deaths
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Bahrain eases restrictions, shops can open, restaurants to remain closed