Bahrain reports first death from coronavirus in the Gulf region

Bahrain health ministry has reportedly announced the first fatality from the novel coronavirus within the country on March 16 marking the first death in the Gulf region. The deceased was a 65-year-old Bahraini woman who had underlying health conditions and succumbed to the worsening health conditions after contracting the COVID-19 as per the media reports.

According to the reports, at least 1,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus have emerged across the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with most cases linked to Iran. More than 700 fatalities have been confirmed across the region as of Sunday as gulf countries Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman impose movement restrictions in a drastic measure to stem the pandemic spread.  

Bahrain’s Ministry of Health also announced the recovery of 17 patients who were infected with COVID-19. The discharged patients were 7 Bahraini men, 8 Bahraini women, one Saudi and one Lebanese, bringing the total number of recovering cases to 77 cases so far in the kingdom, a Gulf media report confirmed. Bahraini health authorities urged the arrivals from the four gulf countries to self-quarantine.

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Voluntarily come forward for testing

Bahrain's Health Ministry said in a statement that travellers entering Bahrain from Italy, South Korea, Egypt, and Lebanon have to mandatorily isolate in their houses for at least 14 days and then immediately undergo health inspection after the domestic isolation. Bahrain has also suspended flights to the world's busiest airport for international travel to Dubai and nearby Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the health ministry also asked all those who had visited Iran in the month of February to voluntarily come forward for testing, confirmed reports.

Meanwhile, at least 77 evacuees out of the 165 flown out of Iran tested positive for coronavirus, as per the media report. They were brought in to the country on chartered planes and were screened immediately upon entry into the kingdom.

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