The Middle East and North Africa is the only World Health Organisation region in which Covid-19 case numbers and deaths continue to rise since the beginning of the year because of lower vaccination rates, the organisation said on Wednesday.
Weekly case numbers increased by 36 per cent in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes 22 countries and territories stretching from Morocco to Pakistan, during the week of January 31 to February 6. The WHO said weekly deaths increased by 45 per cent.
“There has been a dramatic increase in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past six weeks, with a daily average of over 110,000 cases. A rise in deaths has also been reported over the past three weeks, with a daily average of 345 deaths,” Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said in Cairo.
The five other WHO regions — Africa, the Americas, South-east Asia, Europe and Western Pacific — reported decreases in weekly cases this month.
Globally, the number of new Covid-19 cases decreased by 17 per cent compared with the number during the previous week, although the new seven-day death toll rose by 7 per cent.
Many of the countries that reported an early increase in the number of cases caused by the Omicron variant have reported declines in new infections since the beginning of January, the WHO said in its latest weekly epidemiological update.
The low vaccination rate in the Eastern Mediterranean region and a lack of adherence to public health and social measures have fuelled the increase in case numbers and deaths, WHO officials said at the Cairo briefing.
About 35 per cent of the region’s population of nearly 700 million people is now fully vaccinated, but the rates vary “enormously among countries, ranging from between 1 per cent and 94 per cent”, Dr Al Mandhari said.
Six countries in the region still have vaccination coverage of less than 10 per cent, far lower than the 40 per cent coverage target set by the WHO by the end of 2021.
“Even though before the end of the year, we had some shortage of vaccine supply, right now this is not the problem,” said Dr Rana Hajjeh, director of programme management at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (Emro). “All the countries have adequate vaccine supplies, but we need to mobilise the population.”
Improving vaccination coverage has to be combined with sticking to interventions, such as wearing masks, avoiding crowded areas and keeping places well ventilated, Dr Hajjeh said.
“The implementation of all of these has unfortunately been quite relaxed over the last few months, partly due to fatigue and various other factors,” she said.
Countries cannot rely on the concept of herd immunity, as Omicron has increased the level of reinfection among those who are vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19, said Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, manager for infectious hazards prevention at Emro.
“Omicron has changed the equation when it comes to herd immunity. There are countries where almost 80 per cent or 90 per cent of people have either been vaccinated or infected,” he said. “At the same time, we need to push vaccination coverage to minimise severe cases and deaths.”
The region has reported more than 19.8 million cases and more than 324,000 deaths.
In the first week of February, nine countries reported increases in new cases of 20 per cent or greater, with the highest relative increases reported from Iran, Afghanistan and Jordan. In Iran new cases increased by 188 per cent to more than 221,000.
Iran has vaccinated about 65 per cent of its population, while vaccination coverage in Jordan is about 40 per cent and in Afghanistan about 10 per cent.
In contrast, in the UAE, which has inoculated about 95 per cent of the population, cases have decreased in the past two weeks.
The highest number of new deaths were reported from Tunisia, Iran and Egypt. In Tunisia, where about half of the population is fully vaccinated, the 383 deaths represented a 39 per cent increase compared with the previous week.
An added challenge in the region is areas of conflict and the 21 million internally displaced people (IDPs), who account for 45 per cent of the total number of IDPs worldwide, Dr Al Mandhari said.
Dr Al Mandhari emphasised the importance of collective solidarity and action to help end the pandemic.
“It is up to all of us — as individuals and community members — to take actions that can and will determine the course of this pandemic and ensure that future generations are spared from what we are currently enduring,” he said.
Coronavirus around the world — in pictures
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Company%20profile
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Inside%20Out%202
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Honeymoonish
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
