Saudi Arabia               

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 336,387
• Recoveries: 321,485
• Deaths: 4,875

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 30 September: Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announces three-phase Umrah plan to ensure pilgrims' safety. Pilgrims must wait 14 days before performing Umrah for the second time. The Eatmarna app must be used to book Umrah slots.
• 28 September: Saudi Arabia, which is presiding over the Group of 20 countries this year, says the upcoming November gathering of world leaders will be held virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 Measures to minimise the economic crisis:   

• 2 October: Property deals in Saudi Arabia exempted from 15 per cent value-added tax, and will instead face a new 5 per cent tax on transactions, as part of government measures to shore up the local real estate sector. 
• 30 September: Saudi Arabia plans to cut government spending over the coming years, according to figures released by the Ministry of Finance in its pre-budget statement for the 2021 financial year. The planned spending cuts will follow a fall in government revenues this year, largely due to oil price fluctuations and the economic impact of Covid-19. 
• 29 September: General Organisation for Social Insurance extends stimulus programme to support salaries of Saudi nationals in companies impacted by Covid-19. The programme originally covered 70 percent of Saudi employees in firms with over five workers, and applied to a several activities across the private sector. Initially due to expire in October, the programme will continue until January and support half of all Saudis working in a company still impacted by Covid-19 in sectors including travel, sports and entertainment.
• 28 September: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approve plan to exempt investors in municipal spaces from paying 25 per cent of rental fees. The decision will help 50,000 facilities deal with the economic effects of coronavirus by relieving them of payments worth $151.9m. Registration of Umrah pilgrims for the first 10 days completed. The Umrah pilgrimage and the visit to the Two Holy Mosques will commence in phases. In the first phase, citizens and expatriates will be allowed to perform Umrah from 4 October at 30 per cent capacity – equating to 6,000 Umrah performers per day.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 98,801
• Recoveries: 88,123
• Deaths: 426

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 4 October: National Emergency Crisis Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) forms seven inspection teams, one to be based in each emirate, to crack down on those failing to adhere to the strict coronavirus precautionary measures. Forty-six protocols have been put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. 
• 2 October: UAE nationals will no longer need to take a PCR test before they board their flight to Dubai, but will take the Covid-19 test once they land in Dubai, said the NCEMA.
• 29 September: Frontline staff of Sharjah International airport receive their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The inactivated Covid-19 vaccine is now in the third and last phase of clinical trials in four Arab countries.
• 28 September: Dubai Tourism orders entertainment to stop at 1am to stop spread of Covid-19.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis:   

• 3 October: Ministry of Presidential Affairs, in coordination with the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, announces the re-opening of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque both in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah as well as the Founder's Memorial in the UAE capital. Precautionary measures must be followed by visitors.
• 24 September: Government to resume issuing visas for visitors to all seven emirates as part of efforts to ease Covid-19 restrictions and aid economic recovery. Major hospitals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi cut the price of a Covid-19 PCR test to AED180, but tests are still free for suspected patients, people in vulnerable categories including those with chronic illness, UAE citizens and people aged 50 and above.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 72,662
• Recoveries: 67,475
• Deaths: 260

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 3 October: Health Ministry consultant physician urges compliance with precautionary measures to curb spike in Covid-19 cases. 
• 29 September: Bahrain Red Crescent Society says it has included information about tackling Covid-19, how to respond to infected cases and the necessary precautions to be adopted in its annual training courses for Bahrainis and expatriates. 
• 24 September: Fine for failing to wear a face mask in public places raised from BD5 ($13.30) to BD20 ($53.2). 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis:  

• 1 October: Ministry of Education announces administrative, teaching and technical staff will resume work on 4 October, confirming staggered re-entry at of 50 per cent of the teaching staff, with rotated school attendance. One per cent of administrative, teaching and teaching staff who failed to respond to the ministry's call to undergo PCR tests will not be allowed back. Public school students will start the new school year on 11 October and be required to study remotely at the beginning of the school year for two weeks. Students wishing to physically attend classes will be allowed to return to their respective schools on 25 October.
• 29 September: New legislation to deliver post-Covid-19 economic recovery will be drawn up by members of parliament during their upcoming seven-month term, which begins in October. Legislation to tackle cybercrime, monitor unscrupulous online sales and the digitisation of financial services will be among the items of discussion.
• 28 September: Bahrain has extended a scheme in which it pays half of the salaries of nationals working in parts of the private sector impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Payments will now continue until the end of the year. The scheme, which applies to people registered with the government’s unemployment insurance scheme, was due to end at the end of this month. The decree issued by King Hamad will benefit 23,000 Bahraini workers and 4,000 businesses and will be paid over the next three months starting from October. The cabinet also approved the payment of 50 per cent of salaries to more than 500 uninsured female workers in kindergartens and nurseries and said BD150 ($400) will be paid monthly to support 950 taxi, bus and other public transport drivers, and more than 800 driving instructors who are not insured. The ministers also decided to exempt tourist facilities and attractions from paying tourism fees for three months, also starting from October.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 107,025
• Recoveries: 99,040
• Deaths: 624

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 6 September: Ministry of Education issues decree to regulate private French, Indian, Pakistani and other curriculum schools during the 2020/21 academic year in light of Covid-19. The decree also specifies the mechanism for collecting tuition fees in three installments, the first of which will be 40 per cent of the total fees and the remaining two 30 per cent each at British, American, bilingual and French foreign schools. Fees in schools with other foreign educational systems are to be collected in two installments.
• 3 September: New precautions announced for Terminal 4 of Kuwait International airport. Only 60 people will be allowed in the arrivals hall at the same time. Entry into the terminal to receive passengers will be allowed only an hour ahead of scheduled flight arrival.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 4 October: The Central Bank of Kuwait, which pegs the dinar to a basket of currencies dominated by the US dollar, reiterated its commitment to Kuwait's exchange-rate policy, responding to reports of a devaluation. 
• 29 September: Kuwaiti cabinet allows the reopening of Al-Abdali land border crossing for export operations to resume. 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 101,270
• Recoveries: 90,296
• Deaths: 977

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 1 October: Flights resume in Oman, but land borders remain shut for regular travellers until further notice, with only the transport of goods deliveries, medical supply and travellers with special permits allowed.
• 3 September: Health minister warns companies and urges compliance with precautionary measures, failing which fines or closures may be imposed. 
• 1 September: Supreme commitee for Covid-19 urges continued compliance with precautionary measures, warning that the occupancy rate in hospitals, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs), is still very high.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 1 October: Muscat International airport reopens for incoming and outbound flights for citizens and residents. 
• 24 September: Expat work permit renewal fees reduced until December of 2020 by about one-third the current price. Companies bringing expat employees into the country and renewing their work visas will be required to pay $525 instead of $782 until the end of the year. Expats leaving the country were exempt from paying the fines they have accumulated during their stay in Oman, provided they depart the country permanently. The new decision is valid until the end of the year and is expected to aid expats exiting Oman as job losses arise due to Covid-19 across the Mena region. 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 126,498
• Recoveries: 123,475
• Deaths: 216

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 2 October: Mandatory quarantine remains in place until further notice for all passengers arriving in the country, supreme committee dealing with the Covid-19 crisis says. 
• 26 August: Teaching and administrative staff will be tested for Covid-19 prior to the beginning of the new academic year. E-schooling will be adopted for the 2020/21 academic year, which starts on 1 September, with the education ministry specifying system requirements for students' devices. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 28 September: Flag carrier Qatar Airways discloses it had received a $2bn advance from the government of Qatar that has been converted into new shares. 
• 4 September: Ministry of Interior allows sea vessels to operate at 30 per cent of maximum capacity, including crew members. The decision, in line with the fourth phase of easing restrictions, covers personal and rental boards, yachts, daily cruising boats and jets. Water scooters are also permitted for individual use. 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 471,772
• Recoveries: 389,966
• Deaths: 26,957

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 4 October: Civil Aviation Organisation says all flights to and from Iraq have been cancelled until further notice to curb the spread of Covid-19. 
• 3 October: President Hassan Rouhani warns that violators of safety precautions or those who hide having Covid-19 will be fined: "Reducing social discipline is making it difficult for us [to curb the spread]. We need to increase supervision and monitoring, and even designate fines for violations and deal with them."
• 26 September: Rouhani authorises provinces to impose lockdowns wherever necessary to stem a rapid rise in coronavirus cases.
• 1 September: Cultural Heritage, Tourism & Handicrafts Minister, Ali-Asghar Mounesan, says Iranians must travel responsibly to curb the spread of the virus.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 5 September: Schools reopen after seven months of closures. 
• 1 September: President Hassan Rouhani says next year's budget will take the impact of Covid-19 and other economic shocks into consideration, adding: "Although the economic shocks caused by sanctions and the spread of coronavirus in some areas have damaged the country's economy, the government has made every effort to maintain the atmosphere of development and prosperity in production and business as much as possible."

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 103,683
• Recoveries: 97,355
• Deaths: 5,981

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 4 October: Ministry of Education issues guidelines for schools. Measures stipulate that a class will be closed for 28 days if more than one student tests positive for the coronavirus in a period of two weeks. A school will be closed for 28 days if two or more classes in the school are closed. 
• 29 September: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly stresses the need for continued compliance with precautionary measures in offices and at construction sites. 
• 31 August: Civil aviation authority says passengers arriving at Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam and Taba airports can go through Covid-19 PCR tests for $30 at the airports. The decision comes as Egypt begins to enforce a rule requiring negative Covid-19 results, received 72 hours or less prior to arrival, from 1 September. Heritage and tourism sites in the Luxor and Aswan governorates are also due to reopen for international visitors on 1 September.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 4 October: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, says two Egyptian Covid-19 vaccines are ready for first-phase trials, adding that the country has worked on developing four vaccines since the start of the pandemic.
• 29 September: Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s national wealth fund, announces plan to supply 25 million doses of its Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine to Egypt through local Pharco Pharmaceuticals. Egypt's Vacsera is conducting its own trials on two Chinese-made vaccines, in cooperation with the Chinese government and the UAE healthcare company G42.
• 28 September: Flights from Ukraine and France are expected at Marsa Alam International airport from Saturday, local media reports.
• 27 September: Flights will operate from Prague to the cities of Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada and Marsa Alam from 1 October. Egypt’s day labourers will keep receiving the exceptional grant until the end of 2020, as per President Abdel Fattah el Sisi’s directives. The Ministry of Manpower previously announced that 19 August would be the last day for paying the three-month exceptional presidential support, which the government started disbursing in April.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 379,141
• Recoveries: 307,482
• Deaths: 9,399

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 25 September: Flights to Iran will be suspended for 15 days over coronavirus concers. The decision includes "all direct flights from local airports to the airports of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after the announcement of detecting coronavirus cases in some Iranian areas", authorities said.
• 5 September: Health ministry warns it may "lose control" of the pandemic if people do not comply with precautionary measures. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 4 October: Iraqi officials hold meeting with British/Swedish pharmaceutical producer AstraZeneca to procure adequate doses of the vaccine that the company is developing for Covid-19. 
• 1 October: Healthcare infrastructure planned to be expanded. "The current number of coronavirus testing laboratories in the country is 40, and the ministry is planning to establish 20 more labs during the current month," director of the Health Ministry's Laboratories, Duraid Qasim Jasim, said.
• 27 September: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pledges to meet the demands of doctors who went on strike over improvement in their work conditions. A statement by the prime minister's media office said that al-Kadhimi received representatives for the striking doctors and vowed to give a priority to meet their "legitimate demands", which came as a result of corruption and mismanagement during the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 15,640
• Recoveries: 5,240
• Deaths: 101

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 30 September: Minister of State for Media Affairs, Amjad al-Adaileh, warns against flouting precautions as parts of the country reopen: "Recklessness may push us to return to a complete or partial curfew.”
• 29 September: One-week total lockdown imposed in Baqaa camp in Balqa, as well as the New Zarqa and Al-Batrawi areas in Zarqa from 6am on 1 October. 
• 8 September: Government says it will not impose a blanket curfew this weekend, and instead focus on tighter control. Wedding parties, funerals and activities where there are gatherings will be placed under tighter scrutiny. During curfew hours, shops will be required to close at 12am, with curfew hours to begin from 1am. Ghor as-Safi area in the southern governorate of Karak placed under lockdown until further notice. The lockdown includes closing places of worship, public markets, schools and gathering areas, and imposing a curfew from 8pm-6am. Separately, institutional quarantine procedures in force for arrivals at airports will also apply to drivers entering at land border crossings, Land Transport Regulatory Authority director-general, Salah Lozi, says.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 4 October: Al-Adaileh offers reassurances about the Jordanian healthcare sector's capacity to combat Covid-19, adding that the price of the PCR test at private laboratories has been reduced to JD35.
• 30 September: Jordan's government announces plan to reopen mosques, churches, restaurants and cafés from 1 October even as Covid-19 cases spike in the Hashemite kingdom. 
• 28 September: Twenty-four schools, including 12 public schools, six private schools and six United Nations Relief & Works Agency schools, have suspended attendance and switched to remote learning, the Ministry of Education says. 
• 8 September: Commercial flights resume to and from Queen Alia International airport six months after closures. Jordan has divided inbound arrivals into green, yellow and red countries. All travellers must provide proof that they had been resident in the country of departure for at least 14 days and must have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. 'Green country' arrivals must take a second PCR test at the airport and await a negative test result to enter Jordan, while those from 'yellow countries' must be tested and escorted to a mandatory seven-day quarantine at their own expense. Arrivals from 'red countries', with a high prevalence of Covid-19, must enter the government-organised quarantine and then self-isolate at home for a further week, during which they will be required to wear an electronic bracelet.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 44,482
• Recoveries: 19,782
• Deaths: 406

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 2 October: Lebanon has put 111 villages and towns nationwide on lockdown for a week. Residents must stay home and wear masks if forced to go out, health ministry says. State institutions and places of worship are to close, but health centres and delivery services are exempt, UAE state news agency Wam reported.
• 8 September: Syndicate of restaurant, cafe, cabaret & patisserie owners in Lebanon urges food and beverage institutions to comply with precautionary measures or face risk of "returning to square one and complete closures".

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 23 September: Emirati humanitarian aid ship dispatched by Emirates Red Crescent arrives in Beirut upon the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al-Dhafra Region and chairman of the organisation, to support people affected by the explosion at the city’s port. The ship carried 2,400 tonnes of relief aid, including food, food supplements for children, sanitisers, personal protective equipment, clothes and medical supplies, to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.
• 8 September: Caretaker Interior Minister, Mohamed Fahmi, relaxes coronavirus precautions after end of two-week curfew. The curfew will now last from 6am-1pm. For the first time since a coronavirus lockdown was implemented in March, cinemas will be allowed to reopen, local newspaper the Daily Star reports. Nightclubs, social event halls, markets and Casino du Liban will also be permitted to reopen.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 133,272
• Recoveries: 111,036
• Deaths: 2,330

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 1 October: Government extends precautionary measures imposed in Casablanca on 7 September for another fortnight from 5 October. Curbs imposed include the closing of local markets at 3pm, restaurants at 9pm and limiting entry to or exit from the city strictly through exceptional authorisation. 
• 8 September: Regional Academy of Education & Training of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab announces distance learning for 15 days in all public and private schools under the provincial directorates of National Education of Oued Eddahab & Aousserd for the school year 2020/21.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 1 October: Educational institutes in Casablanca will be allowed to reopen on 5 October, marking an exception to the closures that have been extended in the city.
• 29 September: Morocco to expand testing capacity for Covid-19 by allowing more private sector laboratories to test for the virus. Earlier this month, 18 private laboratories were permitted to conduct tests to alleviate the burden on public hospitals and laboratories.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 36,809
• Recoveries: 21,429
• Deaths: 592

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19: 

• 7 September: Head of the National Center for Disease Control, Bader al-Din al-Najjar, says health centres are under extreme pressure in Tripoli, calling for citizens to comply with precautionary measures and help curb the virus. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 27 September: Flights between Libya and Tunisia will gradually resume from the beginning of October, the Libyan African Aviation Holding Company (LAAHC) said. LAAHC owns both of Libya’s state air carriers, Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Air. Passengers travelling from Libya must show the negative results of a PCR test taken no more than 120 hours (five days) before flying.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 22,230
• Recoveries: 5,032
• Deaths: 321

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 3 October: Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi urges compliance with healthcare precautions, adding that normal classes in schools, universities and vocational training institutions will continue. He also announced a ban on all gatherings and public or private demonstrations.
• 28 September: New measures rolled out to curb Covid-19. Chairs are banned in cafes and restaurants have to comply with social distancing protocol with penalties that could reach the closure of spaces that violate the law. Guests for wedding parties are reduced by 30 per cent in terms of reception capacity, and the wearing of masks is compulsory in public and private means of transport. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 3 October: Mechichi says Tunisia cannot financially afford another lockdown: "The lockdown scenario is not conceivable." He added that by the end of October, the number of ventilator-equipped beds in the country will increase from 400 to 1,200 in the public health sector and from 150 to 700 in the private sector.
• 26 September: Government is considering various proposals to help stakeholders in the tourism sector, eyeing support plans such as the rescheduling of the settlement of bank and social security fund debts, and extending credits over longer repayment periods.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 52,136
• Recoveries: 36,578
• Deaths: 1,760

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 2 October: Minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform, Abderrahmane Benbouzid, says "Algeria has won the battle", adding: "Vigilance is still required to avoid a second wave.”
• 7 September: Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad says date to reopen schools in Algeria has not been set, and will depend on data about the pandemic: "We do not want to take any risk for our children and their parents at this point."

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 4 October: Schools and universities will reopen on 21 October and 22 November, respectively. Intermediate and secondary school classes are to resume on 4 November. Separately, preliminary draft of the 2021 Finance Law is presented to the Council of Ministers in a meeting chaired by Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
• 2 September: Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad chairs government meeting to discuss implementation of economic recovery plan, which includes measures to roll out by the end of 2020, in 2021 and in 2022-24. 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 2,041
• Recoveries: 1,320
• Deaths: 591

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 4 May: Public areas including government buildings, markets and mosques to be sprayed with disinfectant as local authorities move to curb Covid-19.
• 11 April: Authorities in the southeast Yemen province of Hadramout move to curb Covid-19 in the port city of Al-Sheher by imposing further measures, where the country’s first case was announced on 10 April. A curfew from 6pm-6am has been imposed in all cities of the province. Hadramout governor, Faraj Salmen al-Bahsani, has urged residents to comply with the measures and stay indoors as much as possible.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 2 June: International donors pledge $1.35bn in aid for Yemen. Saudi Arabia's contribution totals $500m, with the UK offering $200m and Germany contributing $140m.
• 18 May: Yemen’s Health Minister, Nasser Ba’aom, and Minister of Local Administration, Abdul Raqib Fatah, appeal for international aid. “We need PPE supplies, ventilators, finance for the medical workers who work in the Covid-19 centres,” Dr Ba’aom said, according to UAE newspaper the National. “We also need medical equipment such as a complete biological units, testing kits, field hospitals and beds for the ICUs. Additionally, we still need food aid, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene.”

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 4,366
• Recoveries: 1,155
• Deaths: 205

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 16 August: Ministry of Interior said to issue new regulations for travellers to and from Lebanon. Those entering Syria from Lebanon must present Covid-19 negative test results taken 96 hours prior to their arrival. The decision applies to truck drivers, diplomatic passport holders and aid workers, among other groups. Lebanon-bound passengers from Syria must present test results taken 24 hours prior to their flight. 
• 10 August: First case of Covid-19 among residents of Al-Hol camp causes concern among relief workers. As many as 43,000 children will be impacted by an outbreak in the camp, Save the Children warns.

Financial measures to minimise the economic crisis:

• 1 October: Flights out of the Damascus International airport resume after six months of closures. Syrian Airlines will fly from Damascus International airport to regional locations, including Cairo and Beirut, as well as resume a weekly flight to Khartoum, Sudan and accept ad-hoc flights with Kuwait. 
• 24 June: Syrian health ministry receives new batch of medical aid from China, including testing kits, protective suits, face masks, goggles and infrared thermometers.
• 25 May: Damascus eases lockdown restrictions to support economic growth, but repatriation flights put on hold as recently returned Syrians are treated.
• 3 May: President Bashar al-Assad says Syria could face a "real catastrophe" if Covid-19 cases grow.