The National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19) today held a press conference at the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research at the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital, to provide an update on the Kingdom’s COVID-19 response.
 
The Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health and member of the National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), HE Dr. Waleed Khalifa Al Manea, highlighted the importance of continued and full adherence to public health measures, warning that the virus is still active, and complacency endangers the community.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea noted that the increased number of active cases in January is a direct consequence of individuals not following public health measures, adding that the responsibility for eradicating the virus rests in the collective hands of citizens and residents.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea further noted that current active cases increased by 43% between 1st January and the 18th January 2021, in comparison with the period between 14th December and 30th December 2020. HE Dr. Al Manea highlighted that 18% of cases registered during that period are of children between the ages of 0 to 17. 
 
HE Dr. Al Manea emphasised that the Ministry of Health will continue to conduct inspections, in coordination with relevant authorities, on restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, barber shops and gyms, to ensure that all health measures are followed.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea added that administrative and legal action will be taken against those who commit violations in industrial or commercial establishments, underscoring the importance of compliance with all preventative measures.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea noted that in line with the directives issued by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, mobile vaccination units have been launched to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to the elderly and those with special needs in the comfort of their homes, adding that this new service is the first of its kind. 
 
Moreover, HE Dr. Al Manea advised the elderly, and those with chronic diseases, who wish to get vaccinated, to register by calling 444, visiting the website healthalert.gov.bh or registering via the “BeAware” application.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment to providing vaccinations for all, reassuring registered patients that they will receive their doses in accordance with vaccination stocks.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea noted the importance of social awareness when adhering to preventative measures, adding that social distancing remains an important measure to be followed at all times. In this regard, HE Dr. Al Manea noted that gatherings should be limited to members of the same household or close social circle, and outdoor open spaces should be utilised rather than closed places.
 
Turning to occupancy at treatment centers, HE Dr. Al Manea highlighted that the capacity of the Kingdom’s isolation and treatment centers is 5,202 beds, of which 2,241 are occupied, representing 43.1% of the capacity. The number of asymptomatic active cases under optional home isolation is 2,205, and the percentage of patients recovered out of total cases, reached 96.62%, while the death rate is 0.37% of total cases.
 
HE Dr. Al Manea concluded by reiterating the importance of supporting the Kingdom’s comprehensive national efforts to combat COVID-19.
 
Infectious Disease Consultant & Microbiologist at the BDF and Member of the National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Lt. Col. Dr. Manaf Al Qahtani, highlighted the importance of vaccinations, which protect the community from diseases and reduce infection rates.
 
Turning to the Kingdom’s ongoing National Vaccination Campaign, Dr. Al Qahtani noted that to date, a total of 143,596 individuals have been vaccinated, adding that the Kingdom is ranked third internationally in vaccinations per 100 people, with a rate that stands at approximately 8.4%. Dr. Al Qahtani emphasised that this is a considerable achievement and a source of pride for all in the Kingdom.
 
Discussing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Dr. Al Qahtani noted that the shipment of vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTec, which was supposed to arrive in January, has been rescheduled due to production and supply processes on the manufacturers side. Dr. Al Qahtani highlighted that the rescheduled vaccine shipments will not affect citizens and residents receiving the second dose of the vaccine, according to current scheduled dates.
 
Dr. Al Qahtani emphasised that those who have already received a vaccination must continue to follow all precautionary measures, to protect themselves, their families, and the community.
 
For her part, the Consultant of Infectious and Internal Diseases at Salmaniya Medical Complex and Member of the National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Dr. Jameela Al Salman, reiterated the importance of adhering to all preventative measures aimed at combating the COVID-19.
 
Dr. Al Salman noted that the Ministry of Health will continue random COVID-19 community testing across the Kingdom, especially in densely populated areas, to ensure the health of communities remains protected. In this regard, Dr. Al Salman highlighted the importance of individuals, who have been in contact with active cases, not proceeding to community testing units, and instead waiting for the relevant authorities to contact them and provide the appropriate mechanism for contact tracing.
 
Dr. Al Salman underscored the importance of disclosing all relevant information to the COVID-19 contact tracing team, to ensure those who have interacted with active cases are identified and provided with medical support in a timely manner. 
 
Dr. Al Salman underlined the importance of continuing to responsibly follow all health and precautionary measures, including following social distancing measures and wearing a face mask when out in public at all times, and when interacting with elderly family members or those with chronic diseases.
 
Reviewing the health status of active cases, Dr. Al Salman reported that the current number of cases in intensive care is 16, and the number of cases requiring health treatment reached 38, while 2945 out of a total of 2,961 cases are in stable condition, with a total of 94,937 cases having recovered.