Qatar Coronavirus Updates -- Slight Rise in Cases Each Day

Over the last three days the number of Coronavirus cases in Qatar has been growing slowly -- 11 one day, then 13, and today 7. The total number of cases is 501, and 37 have recovered. No deaths.

The Ministry of Health has been saying that the new cases relate to Qataris and expats who had returned to Qatar over the last while and who were in self-isolation or quarantine. That means Qatar has had three waves:

1 - initial wave of people who had visited Iran

2 - a cluster where some people at a compound tested positive so the Government cordoned off the area and tested everybody. From that they discovered around 300+ cases. I assume that compound is in the Industrial Area because the whole neighborhood was put under lockdown with restricted access both in and out. There was some criticism from a human rights group that it turned the neighbourhood essentially into a prison but that criticism was before other countries started heavy lockdowns and curfews. I bet Italy wishes it had done heavier lockdowns sooner. And what Qatar did seemed to have worked because the current cases are:

3 - Qataris and some expats who had returned to the country recently from abroad and were self-isolating.


If you look at the pattern of cases in other countries it tended to grow exponentially, by that basis Qatar should have thousands of cases now yet they don't. It appears the quick action by the Government to clamp down is working. Here's hoping it continues to work.

And if you are made to self-isolate the Government means it, you have to sign a paper promising you will not break quarantine. Yes, even Qataris. Do they listen? No, of course not, many broke their self-isolation. They weren't counting on being arrested though -- the Government is not fooling around with this. Every day in the paper now the Government reports how many were arrested for violating the Government's order and their names are published in the papers. Yep, Qatar 'names & shames' the offenders. To date 33 Qataris have been arrested. Hopefully everyone will start getting the message.

Nearly everything is closed: non-essential shops, parks, mosques, the Corniche, museums, public transit and so on. Mandatory work-from-home orders, bans on non-Qataris entering the country, the only thing missing is a curfew. Given the low number of daily cases they might not need to do that.


I've been tempted to wander around outside and take photos of empty places where people once gathered, like Souq Waqif, but nope I'm not going to do it. I'm staying home.