Manama : Private health facilities in Qatar have been told to suspend all non-urgent service starting from April 2 as the country continues to report an increasing number of infections on a daily basis.
The cabinet has decided to halt non-emergency services and allowed the private medical centres to provide some services through modern communication methods, state news agency QNA reported.
The ministry of health said in a statement that the number of COVID-19 cases has risen continuously in the past few weeks, leading to significant numbers of people being admitted to hospital and intensive care every day with severe symptoms.
Qatar was witnessing a peak in the number of cases since the first wave, including a reportedly large number of infections among children under the age of 14.
On Monday, the acting chairman of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Intensive Care Units, Ahmed al-Mohammed, said that there was a jump in the number of infections over the past few months. The number of cases in the intensive care units in February was 53. We now have more than 300 cases, he added. Even during the peak of the pandemic last year, the country didn’t have that many cases in intensive care, said in an interview on Qatar TV.
He called for a full lockdown in the country to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Qatar has reported more than 179,964 positive cases, including 291 deaths so far.
Last week, Qatar reimposed coronavirus-related restrictions n education, leisure and business activities including closing gyms and restricting the capacity of restaurants, shopping malls and cinemas.
In addition to the closing of gyms, swimming pools, water parks, and spas will also be shut down until further notice.
Qatar in January recorded an 85-percent increase in the number of COVID-19 patients being admitted to hospital compared with the previous month.
In an effort to attract more people to the vaccination, the health ministry on Tuesday expanded the eligibility of coronavirus vaccine to anyone aged 40 and above regardless of their health conditions. The vaccine is provided free of charge to citizens and expats.
The authorities have announced a 32-point plan last month to curb the surge in cases that raised fears of a new wave of infections
