Bahrain reports new weekly record in COVID-19 cases

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The week from February 11 to 17 hit a new record by registering the highest rates in all parameters of the coronavirus (Covid-19) infection since July.

The seven-day stretch witnessed the highest daily average of Covid-19 cases – 779.

It registered the highest number of infections among both locals and expats, while weekly cases hit a new record.

The week February 11 to 17 recorded the highest rates in almost all parameters of Covid -19 infection since July

The highest number of Covid-19 infections a day – 896 – was also registered on February 13 beating the previous high of 841 on September 16 last year.

This comes as Bahrain completes one year since it registered the first case of Covid-19. On this day last year, a 28-year-old Bahraini school driver who returned from Iran tested positive.

The GDN reported earlier this month that Bahrain documented a 114 per cent jump in the number of new infections with cases increasing from 305 on January 22 to a staggering 655 on January 27.

The statistics – based on the Health Ministry’s weekly contact tracing reports from July 9 last year to February 17 – reveal a total of 83,807 cases of which only 2pc were travel-related (1,665) while 98pc (82,142) contracted the virus locally. This includes 51,888 Bahrainis (62pc) and 31,919 expats (38pc).

Infections

Of the total 82,142 infections contracted within Bahrain, 40pc were from close contacts (32,945). A total of 28pc developed symptoms and tested positive (22,958), while another 24pc (19,994) were found to have been infected during random screening. The remaining 8pc (6,245) tested positive after quarantine.

The number of local cases, weekly cases and weekly average shot up between February 11 and 17 this year – all three parameters defeating the previous high recorded from September 10 to 16.

The week recorded a total of 5,453 cases (5,034 in September) with an average of 779 a day (719.1 in September). A total of 5,368 were local cases (5,034 in September).

The GDN in September reported on an unprecedented increase in the daily number of new Covid-19 infections in Bahrain, which spiked to an average of more than 600 cases from 330 from the previous weeks.

The month witnessed an 82pc rise in cases amongst Bahrainis two weeks after Ashoora, which is 34pc higher than the spike witnessed following Eid Al Fitr.

Meanwhile, a total of 2,162 expats were infected between February 10 and 17 – which is yet another highest.

The infection rate among non-Bahrainis had dropped considerably after peaking during the initial wave in July to as low as 420 cases during November 12 to 18.

However, the numbers steadily increased from January 28 to February 17.

A similar spike was reported in infections from close contacts between February 11 and 17.

A total of 2,611 were found to have contracted Covid-19 through contact, once again pushing behind the former highest of 2,287 recorded between September 10 and 16.

Bahrain has extended Covid-19 curbs for three more weeks until March 14 after health officials detected a new variant.

Among the measures adopted to mitigate the spread of the virus are suspension of indoor dining and classroom attendance, and three mandatory PCR tests for people arriving into the country.

Meanwhile, the week from February 11 to 17 stood second in terms of highest number of infections recorded from amongst those in quarantine.

A total of 614 people tested positive in the week of February 11 to 17, after completing a mandatory 14-day quarantine period while the highest number in this category was reported between August 13 and 19, with 851 cases.

However, the week recorded a drop in infections among Bahrainis and travel-related cases. A total of 3,291 Bahrainis tested positive between February 11 and 17, a considerable drop from 4,319 reported during September 10 to 16.

Bahrain has conducted over three million tests for Covid-19. The country offers free Covid-19 vaccination to its people and provides them four choices – Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford and Sputnik V.

raji@gdn.com.bh

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