Manama: Coronavirus infections (Covid-19) are soaring in the Gulf after the countries intensified testing in densely populated areas.
The six nation Gulf recorded 2,357 fresh cases of infection on Sunday, taking the GCC infection tally to 26, 645.
As many as 166 person were succumbed to the pandemic in the six gulf countries as of Sunday.
Saudi reported five deaths on Sunday, while four in the UAE and one in Kuwait.
The latest five fatalities were expats, including two Mumbaiites, the ministry of health spokesman said. The total death toll in the country now stood at 97. With the new two deaths, the number of Indians died in Saudi due to covid-19 were rose to eight.
Saudi confirmed 1,088 new infection cases, on Sunday. Of the new cases reported, 67 percent were expats.
The number of recovery rose to 1,398.
Majority of the new cases were found during the mass coronavirus testing, which have been continued in neighbourhoods and densely populated areas of the country recently. The number of cases discovered through mass testing increased from 50 percent of total cases to 82 percent during the last two days, he said.
The country have conducted more than 180,000 tests to detect the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) so far in the Kingdom. And the tests were carried out at the Ministry of Health’s laboratories and other leading institutions throughout the country.
Ministry of health adopted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for a high accuracy ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly said.
Four people, including three Asians, died of Covid-19 in the UAE on Sunday, taking the death toll in the country to 41.
The Emirate reported 477 fresh cases and 93 new recoveries on Sunday. The total number of recovery reached 1,188.
60-year-old Indian expatriate dead in Kuwait due to Covid-19, the ministry of health announced. He is the second Indian who died in the country due to coronavirus. On Sunday, 164 people, including 97 Indians, were diagnosed with the disease, pushing the total infections to 1,915. More than 1,085 Indians were confirmed with the virus to date.
Qatar confirmed 440 new cases, while Bahrain registered 100 and Oman 86.
The total cases now stands as: Saudi Arabia - 9,362, UAE 6,781, Qatar - 5,448, Kuwait - 1,915, Bahrain - 1,873 and Oman - 1,266.
166 people have died so far in the Gulf.
Meanwhile, the ministerial panel meeting on Sunday evening recommended to the cabinet that the ongoing partial curfew in Kuwait to be extended till April 23, Kuwait local media reported.
In another development, Kuwait is planning to introduce ‘electronic bracelets’ to prevent spread of COVID-19. The bracelets will ensure returnees are complying with measures to control the spread of the coronavirus. Kuwait health sources said electronic bracelets arrived in the country, and it will be used by returning nationals, local daily Arab Times reported.
The UAE's cabinet said it would impose a fine of Dh 20,000 to individuals who spread fake news on the spread of the epidemic
