Manama: Qatar on Saturday announced its first death due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. A Bangladeshi expatriate worker, who was suffering from underlying chronic diseases, died of the virus, official Qatar News Agency reports citing the Ministry of Public Health.
He was admitted to the hospital on March 16 after being diagnosed with the virus. Since then he was being treated at the ICU.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, the national tally of positive cases now stands at 590 after 28 people were diagnosed with the disease in Qatar on Saturday, while 45 patients have so far recovered and been discharged from hospitals since the beginning of the outbreak.
Saudi Arabia confirmed its fourth COVID-19 fatality on Saturday, while total number of infections surged in to 1,203 in the Kingdom after 99 people tested positive. Out of the 99 new cases, 46 cases were reported in the capital city Riyadh alone.
The diseased was a Saudi national who was residing the capital city, Riyadh, ministry of Health said during a press briefing.
Across the Gulf, countries are dealing with surging numbers of COVID-19 cases. A total of 228 people have been diagnosed with the disease in various Gulf countries on Saturday alone. There were 99 new cases in Saudi Arabia, 63 in the UAE, 21 in Oman, 28 in Qatar, 10 in Kuwait and seven in Bahrain. Out of the 63 patients diagnosed in the UAE on Saturday, thirty were Indian expatriates.
The number of coronavirus cases in the Gulf rose to 3121 in the gulf region on Saturday. 11 people have died in the GCC countries till date due to the pestilence; four deaths were reported in Bahrain and Saudi, two in the UAE and one death in Qatar.
Out of 3121 GCC cases, 479 were cured and discharged from the hospitals. The highest recovery rate in the GCC was reported in the Kingdom of Bahrain, were so far 265 people were cured from the pandemic leaving behind 207 active cases.
United Arab Emirates on Saturday announced 63 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in the Emirates to 468. Qatar on Saturday confirmed 28 new cases, taking the infections to 590, making it the second worst- hit country in the Gulf, behind Saudi Arabia.
10 new coronavirus cases were registered in the state of Kuwait, bringing the total cases to 235 and Oman confirmed 21 new cases, taking the total infections in the Sultanate to 152.
