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07 Apr 2020
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Health minister says Saudi Arabia coronavirus cases could reach 200,000 within weeks

April 7, 2020

Saudi Arabia’s health minister said the Kingdom's coronavirus cases could reach between 10,000 to 200,000 within weeks based on four different studies conducted by Saudi and foreign experts, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday. Dr. Tawfig al-Rabiah said the results indicate a constant increase in the numbers rather than a decrease.Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.“There is no doubt that our commitment to the instructions and procedures, in its entirety reduces the number of cases to the minimum, while non-compliance will lead to a huge increase in the number of cases,” al-Rabiah was quoted as saying by SPA.He also said the numbers in the coming stages depend on everyone's cooperation and commitment to the instructions and precautionary measures. Many people did not take the dangers of the pandemic seriously enough, according to the health minister.Saudi Arabia dealt with the crisis with “transparency and clarity” in order for the citizens to be aware of the latest developments, according to al-Rabiah.Saudi Arabia implements coronavirus measuresThe Kingdom has implemented several measures to slow the spread of the deadly virus. The latest being a 24-hour curfew and lockdown were imposed on the cities of Riyadh, Tabuk, Dammam, Dhahran and Hofuf and throughout the governorates of Jeddah, Taif, Qatif and Khobar. Al-Rabiah said this was imposed in an effort to keep traffic and gatherings at a minimum. Studies show the rate of traffic is 46 percent which is inacceptable and defeats the purpose, the health minister added.Read: Saudi's King Salman orders treatment for all, including visa violatorsLast week, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordered coronavirus treatment to be available for anyone in need of medical care, including people who have overstayed their visa in the Kingdom.Entry and prayer in the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina have been halted until further notice. Main prayers as well as Friday prayers at mosques throughout the Kingdom have also been suspended. The decision to suspend prayers at mosques came after a meeting between Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, and the Minister of Health.The health ministry recorded a total of 2,795 cases so far and the death toll reached 41 as of Tuesday.Read more:Saudi Arabia imposes 24-hour curfew in several cities, including RiyadhSaudi Arabia suspends prayers at mosques to stop spread of coronavirusEgypt to suspend Ramadan group iftars, activities, says Ministry
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Health minister says Saudi Arabia coronavirus cases could reach 200,000 within weeks

07 Apr 2020
News Permalink

Surgical, cotton masks do not prevent coronavirus infection: Report

April 7, 2020

Neither surgical masks nor cotton masks are effective filters to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, according to a new report published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.People have flocked to buy face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, officially known as COVID-19, resulting in shortages of masks globally. Amid shortages of the N95 mask, the so-called gold standard in consumer face masks, many have turned to surgical and cotton masks as substitutes.Some authorities, such as the UAE, have advised that everyone should wear a mask when outside of their home to limit the transmission of the virus. However, this latest report suggests that surgical and cotton masks may not prevent the spread of coronavirus via coughing.“Both surgical and cotton masks seem to be ineffective in preventing the dissemination of SARS–CoV-2 from the coughs of patients with COVID-19 to the environment and external mask surface,” the report read.Prior research had suggested that surgical masks were effective in filtering the influenza virus, which informed the suggestion that suspected coronavirus patients should wear a mask.Masks may, however, limit the distance that infected droplets can travel during coughing, with researchers noting “we do not know whether masks shorten the travel distance.”This suggests that masks may play a role in supporting good social distancing practices. People have been advised to stay at least two meters apart, a system which may prove more effective combined with a mask.Furthermore, the study found that while the masks did not prevent the virus from spreading, it did reduce the viral load, or the size of the dose of the virus, that is spread. Other experts have previously noted that a higher dosage of the virus could lead to significantly more severe outcomes for infected coronavirus patients.Cotton masks reduced viral the load by 28 percent, while surgical masks reduced the load by 5 percent.Researchers had coronavirus patients cough five times on a petri dish without a mask, with a surgical mask, a cotton mask, and again without a mask, and recorded the results.“Further study is needed to recommend whether face masks decrease transmission of virus from asymptomatic individuals or those with suspected COVID-19 who are not coughing,” the study added.Read more:Coronavirus: Dubai fines 14 merchants for hiking facemask pricesCoronavirus: France to ramp up face masks, respirators productionFace mask price gougers continue to operate on Amazon.ae amid coronavirus fears
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Surgical, cotton masks do not prevent coronavirus infection: Report