Covid-19: Qatar announces tough measures as cases rise

Doha - Restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, beauty salons, museums, libraries and cinemas to be closed from Friday.

By AFP

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Published: Wed 7 Apr 2021, 11:53 PM

Qatar announced the reimposition of strict measures on Wednesday, banning most indoor activities except retail and work in an effort to contain surging coronavirus cases.

Restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, beauty salons, museums, libraries and cinemas will be forced to close from Friday, according to minutes of a cabinet meeting published by official media.


“We are still in the middle of the second wave of the Covid pandemic, and we have not reached the peak of infections yet,” Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on Covid-19, said during a speech on state television.

“Most of the recent cases are due to social visits,” Khal added, without specifying when measures would be lifted.


While the country’s death toll per capita is low, nine per cent of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic were during the past week, with authorities blaming the more potent British strain.

Wednesday was the deadliest day since the beginning of the pandemic in Qatar, with eight deaths reported, according to the latest data.

Qatar reported 940 new infections on Wednesday as well as eight deaths, bringing the total Covid-19 death toll in the country to 320.

New restrictions:

>> Restaurants will offer only home deliveries.

>> Mosques will remain open for daily prayers, but authorities ordered additional prayers for the holy month of Ramadan to be conducted at home.

>> Private and public sector workplaces will be limited to 50 of the capacity and home visits between members of different households to be banned, according to the minutes published by the official Qatar News Agency.

>> Restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, beauty salons, museums, libraries and cinemas will be shut.

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