COVID-19: GCC at “worrying stage”, governments should tighten surveillance, says WHO Regional Director

Merge 104.8  |  02 July 2020

As reported by Oman TV on Wednesday [July 1], World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari, has stated that governments in the GCC should consider strengthening surveillance measures to help control the further spread of COVID-19.

As per Oman TV, Al Mandhari stated that: “The region has reached a worrying stage with more than one million people infected with COVID-19.

Health systems are overburdened, healthcare workers are exhausted, and many people are still at risk.”

Dr. Al Mandhari also addressed the decision of some countries to begin opening their borders once again, saying that: “With airports and border crossings gradually opened, governments should continue to implement precautionary measures by strengthening surveillance at entry points.”

Oman announced today that, as of yet, there are still no plans to re-open the Sultanate’s airports and land borders.

(Also read: “It’s time to name and shame,” says Oman’s Minister of Health on repeat COVID-19 violators.)