A number of Arab countries, including Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan, decided to temporarily stop the printing and distribution of all newspapers, magazines and marketing material in a step aimed to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic that rocked the three nations.
The ban includes the distribution of all printed materials, advertisements in residential complexes as well as restaurants, hotels, health centres and clinics, as well as waiting halls in public and private sector service centres.
This is part of the preventive measures taken to contain the spread of the COVID-19.
The decision comes in line with the precautionary measures taken by all world countries contain the spread of the virus.
Countries have taken extra precautions as the new coronavirus pandemic hits major industries and economies.
Some governments in the Middle East have launched national aid in the past days to counter the effects of the pandemic, including Saudi Arabia which announced a $32-billion stimulus package to support its local economy on Friday.
COVID-19 has infected more than 270,000 people globally, and has claimed the lives of nearly 10,000.
This comes as 13 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Saturday 21 March, 2020, bringing the total number of cases to 153, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
In the UAE, seven new patients have also recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recovered cases in the country to 38 as of Saturday.
The new cases included four Bangladeshis, three Britons, a Pakistani, a Portuguese, a Polish and an American.
All the new cases of COVID-19 infected persons are in stable condition, said Dr. Farida Al Hosani, the ministry’s official spokesperson for the health sector.
Meanwhile, Oman on Sunday banned public gatherings in the Gulf Arab state, limited staffing at state entities and shut currency exchange bureaus as part of measures to fight the coronavirus spread.
The sultanate has recorded the least infections, currently standing at 55, among the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council where the total number of cases of the virus has crossed 1,500 with three deaths.
As for Jordan, The coronavirus caseload has reached 99, including the citizen who recovered, the Minister of Health, Saad Jaber, announced during a press briefing on Saturday.
The Minister confirmed that 15 new cases were reported yesterday.
The coronavirus pandemic caught the Western world unprepared despite all the technology and medical advances available in those countries. What about the Arab world? How are they coping against an invisible virus?
We ask ALLAH to protect the whole world from the overwhelming disaster!
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