Bahrain will suspend dine-in services at restaurants and cafes and move public and private schools to remote learning for three weeks, starting from January 31, to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
The ministry said it had detected a new variant of coronavirus in a number of cases, without specifying which kind. The new lockdown measures will come into effect on Sunday.
Lieutenant General Tariq Al Hassan, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, confirmed that security efforts will continue to confront the pandemic, noting that the Ministry of Interior is working to intensify law enforcement campaigns, according to the Bahrain News Agency.
Lt Gen Al Hassan indicated that police directorates in the governorates continue to take legal measures against violators that do not wear a face mask in public places and flout the necessary measures to maintain social distancing standards.
He said that during the first three weeks of January, 8901 face mask violations were reported, as well as 518 cases of large gatherings.
There has been an uptick in coronavirus cases in the Gulf kingdom since December. The country registered 459 new cases on Wednesday, adding to a total of nearly 100,000 since the start of the pandemic, with 370 deaths.
The small island state has the third highest rate of vaccinations per capita in the world so far, according to the Our World in Data website, which is run by an Oxford University research programme.
Bahrain offers its citizens either the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or one manufactured by Chinese state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm free of charge.
The kingdom also approved the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on Monday for emergency use.
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Healthcare workers wearing masks cross the street in central Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa/The National -
Cleaners are always present around Al Fay Park on Reem Island. Victor Besa/The National -
A picture taken with a drone shows the roads almost empty during the nationwide lockdown in Jal El Dib area north Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanon on 07 January began a complete 25-day closure nationwide, which was extended by the Supreme Defense Council until 08 February, to curb the spread of the coronavirus EPA -
A picture taken with a drone shows the roads almost empty during the nationwide lockdown in Dora area north Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanon on 07 January began a complete 25-day closure nationwide, which was extended by the Supreme Defense Council until 08 February, to curb the spread of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. EPA -
Palestinians walk in the streets after the authorities eased restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the COVID-19, amid a coronavirus lockdown in Gaza City. The Ministry of Interior in Gaza City announced on 05 December 2020 full lockdown on Fridays and Saturdays until further notice to curb the spread of COVID-19. EPA -
Palestinians walk in the streets after the authorities eased restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the COVID-19, amid a coronavirus lockdown in Gaza City. The Ministry of Interior in Gaza City announced on 05 December 2020 full lockdown on Fridays and Saturdays until further notice to curb the spread of COVID-19. EPA -
Palestinians walk in the streets after the authorities eased restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the COVID-19, amid a coronavirus lockdown in Gaza City. EPA -
People ski amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the western mountain resort of Uludag in Bursa, Turkey. Reuters -
Jordanian teenager, Omar, 14, fixes a kerosene heater in a workshop where he works in Amman. Many minors have been forced prematurely into the labour market in Jordan due to the Covid-19 pandemic, experts say. Schools in Amman and throughout the country have been closed for nearly a year now, while economic fallout from the pandemic has eaten into breadwinners' ability to feed their families. AFP -
A Jordanian youth uses a hand cart to work in Amman's Wahdat district. Many minors have been forced prematurely into the labour market in Jordan due to the Covid-19 pandemic, experts say. Schools in Amman and throughout the country have been closed for nearly a year now, while economic fallout from the pandemic has eaten into breadwinners' ability to feed their families. AFP -
Armoured military vehicles patrol in Morocco's western city of Casablanca, amid restrictions and a health state of emergency imposed by the authorities in a bid to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. AFP -
Armoured military vehicles patrol in Morocco's western city of Casablanca, amid restrictions and a health state of emergency imposed by the authorities in a bid to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. AFP
