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QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune Thursday March 12, 2020 Rajab 17, 1441 Vol.13 no. 4892 qR 2

Fajr: 4:31 am Dhuhr: 11:44 am Asr: 3:08 pm Maghrib: 5:42 pm Isha: 7:12 pm

Business 9 Sports 12 MPHC to complete QR391 mn The chase begins for partly cloudy High : 26°C furnace project in 2022, increase Hamilton as F1 start LOW : 18°C ethylene output by 7 percent overshadowed

Effective measures to beat virus: MoPH 238 more expats test positive for Cases detected in record time, health COVID-19, total cases reach 262 situation is reassuring: Official Iran returnees set to be released CATHERINE W GICHUKI from quarantine today: Official Doha Tribune News Network The number of confirmed Doha Muaither HC to serve as coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Qatar jumped from 24 to Citizens and residents COVID-19 testing facility 262 in a single day, the Min- who were quarantined after istry of Public Health (MoPH) their return from Iran will The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) on Tuesday announced on Wednesday. be released from isolation on said the Muaither Health Center (HC) has been desig- All the 238 new cases, the Thursday, a top Ministry of nated as a centre for testing, observing and quarantining biggest single day jump in Qa- Public Health official has an- individuals suspected of having contracted the new coro- tar, are expatriates who had nounced. navirus (COVID-19) as of Thursday (March 12). All previ- contact with the three cases “If the final tests con- ous appointments at the Muaither Health Center will be that were declared infected ducted on them proved that rescheduled and transferred to the Wajbah Health Center. last Sunday and who reside in they are not infected with All patients intending to visit Muaither HC without appoint- one residential complex. the coronavirus, they will be ments are required to go to the nearby centres such as The new infected patients released. It is a good news as Abu Bakr Al Siddiq, Al Rayyan, Al Wajbah or Al Waab health were in quarantine as a pre- it confirms that the isolation centres. All non-essential appointments will be resched- cautionary measure since the and control procedures put uled to another date as soon as possible. (TNN) discovery of the three infected in place in Qatar are work- cases, which prevented them Ministry of Public Health officials address a press conference in Doha on Wednesday. ing perfectly,” Sheikh Dr from contacting other mem- Mohammed bin Hamad al bers of society. official said. tions. This is to assure all that panic as the virus is treatable. Thani, Director of the Public All football matches in Qatar to go on So far, the MoPH has “We have conducted more Qatar’s health care sector is Dr Abdullatif al Khal, Co- Health Department, said. (PG 14 ) conducted more than 6,000 than 6,000 tests, which is ready. We have around 800 chair of the National Epidemic He said Qatar is second without spectators: QFA tests and currently, there are the highest in the world after people in quarantine facilities. Preparation Committee and in the world after South Ko- around 800 people in the South Korea. We are the sec- There was no contamination Hamad Medical Corporation rea that has tested largest and residents that until now, “We discovered that the quarantine facility. ond country in the world with inside the quarantine,” Sheikh (HMC) Head of Infectious Dis- number of its citizens for the not a single case has been vast majority of the infected “Discovery of these cases this technology to test as much Dr Mohammed bin Hamad eases Division, said the discov- coronavirus. Qatar is also admitted to intensive care workers live in one area and doesn’t mean that the virus is as we can like South Korea. al Thani, Director of Public ery of the cases was as a result second in the world after and most cases are stable. they were isolated imme- widespread in the community, Till now, we have a total of Health Department, said at a of the aggressive campaign Germany in the number of “Rather, 90 percent of diately and all of them are it only shows that Qatar has a 262 cases without any deaths press conference on Wednes- conducted by the ministry. cases without deaths, he said. cases do not have any symp- young and in good health,” very active surveillance mech- or any patient in intensive day. He assured the citizens toms,” he added. he said. anism in place,” a top MoPH care or with critical condi- He advised people not to Continued on page 2 

MoTC all set to launch Positive changes in UNSC hails Qatar’s role in US-Taliban deal Qatar Digital Govt workers’ welfare in QNA Qatar’s support, and the critical role it played in hosting the Qatar, says report New York talks that led to this momentous occasion,” Chalet said. 2026 strategy this year The support and engagement of the international com- The Supreme Committee for Delivery The UN Security Council (UNSC) has hailed Qatar’s media- munity will continue to be critical in the next steps of the QNA tal transformation to harness and Legacy’s implementation of the tion role in the success of the signing of the agreement peace process, she said, adding “We are eagerly looking Doha technology and innovation, to new quarterly audit regime has resulted between the US and the Afghan Taliban. forward to the next steps of the peace process”. improve the standard of living in a number of notable improvements, The UNSC unanimously adopted a resolu- Permanent Representative of Germany to the The Ministry of Transport and promote economic diver- such as workers residing in better ac- tion in support of the agreement signed in United Nations Ambassador Christoph Heusgen and Communications (MoTC) sification in order to achieve commodation, positive changes in the Doha between the US and Afghan Taliban, hailed Qatar, as well as its people and govern- is ready to launch the new Qa- the goals of the Qatar National recruitment practices of contractors, welcoming the recent steps to end the con- ment, for what it had done for years to ensure tar Digital Government 2026 Vision 2030. better employment conditions, and the flict in Afghanistan. that the agreement will be signed. Heusgen strategy (QDG 2026) this year. He said TASMU repre- timely payment of salaries, according to Acting Deputy Permanent Representative appreciated the close cooperation between This was announced by the sents a new era in digital so- the Annual Workers’ Welfare Progress of the US Mission to the United Nations Ambas- Germany and Qatar in organising the intra- Minister of Transport and Com- lutions and innovation that Report. The report noted that 2019 sador Cherith Chalet expressed her country’s Afghan dialogue which he described as important munications during the Cabinet focuses on facilitating the lives saw enhanced coverage of WWF, further gratitude to the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad to the future of Afghanistan. meeting on Wednesday. of individuals, activating the elections undertaken and used as a key al Thani, and to the decisive support and role played by Indonesia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, South Africa The Council of Ministers digital economy, developing a tool for grievance redress. The benefits Qatar in hosting US-Afghan Taliban talks, that culminated in and Vietnam also praised the essential role Qatar played in listened to the presentation sustainable environment with of WWF are now experienced by 23,164 the signing of the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghani- sponsoring the negotiations that resulted in the signing of made by the Minister of Trans- the power of technology for a SC and 10,140 non-SC workers. (QNA) stan between the two parties in Doha on February 29. the historic agreement between the US and Taliban to end port and Communications on smart future, and to the stra- page 2 “We are especially grateful to HH Sheikh Tamim for the 19-year war. the digital transformation and tegic goals of the programme: the Qatar Smart Program me ● Facilitating the move- (TASMU). ment of people through a se- The minister indicated cure transportation network through the presentation that that reduces damage to the en- Qatar Digital Government vironment. aims to raise the level of gov- ● Developing a competi- COVID-19 scare may end in China by April-end: Envoy ernment services provided to tive sector in the field of lo- individuals and companies gistics services that supports Meriam Jelliti peak-time thousands to only “At Hamad International and efficient actions to deal without auditors, raise the ef- international trade and stimu- Doha 24 cases. Among them, 13 cas- Airport, we can see thermal with the epidemic, and we are ficiency of government admin- lates the growth of commercial es were inside Hubei. Sixteen scanning and special clinics to fully confident that the Qatari istrative operations without traffic. China has seen positive pro- cities other than Wuhan have check suspected cases. The gov- government will continue its paper and increase the level of ● Achieving sustainable gress in the containment of the reported zero new case for ernment has provided accom- scientific response.” transparency and government consumption of natural re- coronavirus and the situation six consecutive days. Sixteen modation for those in need of He pointed out that Qatar openness to the public. sources and ensuring food and in Hubei and Wuhan — the cabin hospitals in Wuhan have quarantine, and designated the has the ability to confront the He said the tracks of Qatar water security. epicenter of the outbreak — is all been closed, as all patients Communicable Disease Center epidemic, prevent its spread Digital Government 2020 strat- ● Improving the health of stabilising and turning better, have been cured,” he said. for specialised treatments.” and protect society. egy are vital service projects, the population and enhancing Ambassador of China to Qatar “About 1,578 new cases He added, “All these meas- All the measures taken by electronic services, joint gov- people’s access to high-quality HE Zhou Jian has said. were cured and discharged on ures have effectively safe- Qatar took place in the frame- ernment applications, support health care at affordable prices. He said Chinese scientists the same day, adding to 61,475 guarded the health and safety work of openness and trans- for implementing the strategy, ● Activating Qatar’s role are of the opinion that the cured cases in all,” he said. of Qatari citizens and expatri- parency, which contributed operating government infra- as a global destination in the epidemic is likely to be under On the situation in Qatar, HE Zhou Jian. ates. At present, the risk of a greatly to increasing and en- structure projects, and to launch areas of distinctive experience control by the end of April. the envoy appreciated the Qa- spread in Qatar still remains hancing the confidence-build- 1,000 electronic services. for sports fans, sports train- “By March 10, the num- tari efforts and said the Minis- sponded first-hand. Qatar has under control. We would like ing measures, he added. The minister referred to ing, and innovative sports ber of newly-diagnosed cases try of Public Health (MoPH) taken a series of timely and to express our sincere appre- TASMU, which deals with digi- equipment. countrywide decreased from and other departments re- decisive measures, he added. ciation for these pragmatic Continued on page 2 