No new COVID-19 cases detected in Kingdom; death brings virus toll to 8

AMMAN — The Kingdom on Tuesday registered no new cases of the coronavirus and six people were discharged from hospitals, leaving 89 patients still receiving treatment, according to Health Minister Saad Jaber.

One COVID-19 patient passed away on Tuesday at Queen Alia Military Hospital in Amman, bringing the number of deaths caused by the virus to eight, the minister said.

Speaking during a press briefing at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management, Jaber noted that, over the course of the day, epidemiological investigation teams conducted some 3,000 random tests across the Kingdom, which all came back negative. 

In its efforts to deal with the pandemic, the government hasbothapplied social distancing and a curfew, and managed to develop the country’s capabilities in addressing this “unprecedented crisis”, the minister said.

“In figures, the Kingdom today produced some 1.3 million masks and the number of ICU beds at Prince Hamzah Hospital alone increased by 30 beds,” Jaber said, noting that the number of epidemiological investigation teams has increased to 160 teams from 15 at the beginning of the crisis.

The minister added that the Kingdom can now conduct some 3,000 PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests daily, compared to some 300 three months ago.

The number will further increase to some 10,000 tests per day in the near future, he said.

The minister also noted that the public health sector has some 1,000 ventilators.

The comprehensive curfews that the government usually imposes on weekends aim at allowing epidemiological investigation teams to reach those who have come into contact with infected people, he said.

Also speaking at the daily press briefing, Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said that the government has decided to ease curfew regulations in Madaba, Jerash and Ajloun as of Wednesday morning. Residents of these governorates will be able to move on foot and use their vehicles between 8am and 6pm.

The same procedures that are being followed in previously reopened governorates will apply for these three new governorates, Adaileh said.

The minister added that the government also will allow lawyers to open their offices as of Wednesday morning for certain hours, five days a week.

The decision to allow the use of vehicles nationwide as of Wednesday aims to ease procedures for citizens and allow those who are authorised to work to reach their workplaces, Adaileh said, warning that any exploitation of the decision could subject citizens to legal consequences.

The minister also noted that the Kingdom will observe another comprehensive curfew this Friday.