MANAMA: Health officials have made renewed pleas for citizens and expatriates to adhere to safety protocols as Eid approaches and Covid-19 infections rocket to record levels despite an impressive vaccination uptake.

In a statement yesterday, the Health Ministry cautioned against ‘laxity and recklessness’, adding that the ‘danger is still here’.

“Leaving the house or gathering in homes and dwellings, or coming into contact in public places without following precautionary measures causes a surge in infections,” it said, stressing the negative impact of such indifference on national efforts to combat the coronavirus.

The ministry reports more than 15,000 new active cases over the past two weeks, from April 30 to May 3, as highlighted in the GDN.

Bahrain yesterday recorded 1,502 new cases of Covid-19.

Citing the reports of the contact tracing team, the ministry added that it had become clear that gatherings in homes and dwellings were the main cause of new cases, followed by contact in public places and travel.

It warned against inaction and a lack of commitment to precautionary measures, adding that the surge of infections was causing ‘great pressure’ on medical frontliners who deserve support through adherence to precautionary measures – and vaccination – to curb the spread of the pandemic.

The contact tracing team stressed the necessity to restrict gatherings to the same family, while taking preventive measures within the same family, especially when mixing with the elderly and those with chronic diseases. The need to wear face masks was again voiced.

“Serious commitment to the precautionary rules and taking vaccinations at this stage are the two ways to curb the spread of the virus and limit any new variants,” it added.

It comes in the wake of another mosque being temporary closed by the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry for violating health precautionary measures by allowing non-vaccinated worshippers inside, including known carriers of the virus who were supposed to be isolating.

The one week closure period will allow the mosque in the Capital Governorate to be sterilised and for health teams to track the extent of any infection spread through contact tracing methods.

The ministry has also warned two other mosques in Muharraq Governorate and the Northern Governorate about failures to follow strict precautionary measures set for protecting worshippers.

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