Saudi Arabia               

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 358,526
• Recoveries: 348,562
• Deaths: 5,954

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 29 November: Saudi Pharmaceutical Industries and Medical Appliances Corporation (Spimaco) has signed an agreement with German biopharmaceutical company CureVac on 27 November, to supply and distribute a coronavirus vaccine in the kingdom.
• 23 November: Ministry of Health plans to offer free vaccines to 70 per cent of the population, including citizens and expats that have not yet contracted Covid-19, by the end of next year. Abdullah Asiri, the ministry’s assistant undersecretary for preventive health, said those aged under 16 years would not be vaccinated unless research proves iti s necessary to do so. Saudi Arabia is procuring vaccines through the Covax vaccine alliance and direct negotiations with private sector manufacturers. Assistant to the minister of health and official spokesperson of the ministry, Muhammad al-Abd al-Aly, said only those vaccines that do not have side effects and are approved by authorities will be offered.
• 18 November: General Presidency of the Grand Holy Mosque & Prophet's Holy Mosque Affairs reveals sterilisation programme for the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The operation requires more than 4,000 workers in four shifts, and the process of cleaning and sterilising the mosque and its courtyards takes 35 minutes.

 Measures to minimise the economic crisis:   

• 2 December: Saudi Arabia's interior ministry said it will soon announce a date of lifting restrictions on citizens travelling to and from the country.
• 29 November: Central Bank of Saudi Arabia has extended its Deferred Payments Programme until the end of Q1 2021, supporting pirvate sector financing.
• 19 November: Saudi Arabia will review its increased rate of VAT after the pandemic ends, acting Media Minister Majid al-Qasabi reportedly said. He added that the decision to triple VAT earlier this year was a “painful” one and that consumer protection would remain a priority for the kingdom.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 175,276
• Recoveries: 158,498
• Deaths: 589

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 5 December: Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) has announced that the price of a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is now slashed to AED85. Seha has earlier reduced the cost of the test from AED370 to AED250 in September.
• 24 November: Etihad Airways partners with information technology company SITA to trial the use of facial biometrics for cabin crew at the airline's crew briefing centre at Abu Dhabi International airport.
• 4 November: Abu Dhabi Crisis, Emergencies & Disasters Committee updates the requirements to enter the emirate, as part of efforts to enhance the preventative measures for the early detection of Covid-19. Residents and visitors who enter Abu Dhabi from 8 November and stay for four or more consecutive days will be required to take a PCR test on the fourth day of their stay. If they stay for eight or more consecutive days, they must take another PCR test on the eighth day. Entry must be within 48 hours of receiving a negative PCR or diffractive phase interferometry (DPI) test result. The current PCR test required on day six will not be mandatory for those entering from 8 November, and volunteers in Covid-19 vaccine trials are exempt from the measures.
• 2 November: Khalifa University of Science & Technology says a team of researchers at its Aerospace Research & Innovation Centre is developing a reusable 3D-printed mask as a potential replacement for standard N95 masks that are in short supply. A prototype has already been printed and, once completed, an assessment will be performed before it is qualified and approved.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis:   

• 28 November: Abu Dhabi Ports allocates 19,000 square-metre temperature-controlled warehouse facility in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi amid efforts as part of the UAE's Hope Consortium. The facility already houses more than 1 million vials of the vaccine. Separately, Sultan bin Ahmed al-Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, presides over the second meeting of the Covid-19 Crisis Recovery Management and Governance Committee.
• 25 November: Abu Dhabi launches Hope Consortium, representing a complete supply chain for the transport, demand planning, sourcing, training and digital technology infrastructure preparation for a Covid-19 vaccine. The consortium can handle more than six billion doses from the vaccines under development around the world in 2021, raising by more than three times by end-2021. Switzerland's Skycell will develop a regional service and manufacturing hub in Abu Dhabi as part of the consortium, which also includes the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Ports Group and Rafed, the ADQ's healthcare purchasing arm. 
• 23 November: Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on behalf of the private sector, has announced a donation of AED750,000 to the Al-Jalila Foundation to fund medical research in the UAE. The donation will cover Covid-19 research, in addition to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and mental health.
• 22 November: Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi shares future plans and projects with industry partners, including the implementation of a cashless payment system across all consumer touchpoints within the sector, and the development of a dedicated bus route for tourism sites, which will make transport across the emirate more accessible, convenient and affordable for visitors.
• 19 November: Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah, issues directive to reduce trade licence renewal fees and fines for violations issued by any local entities or departments by 50 per cent for exhibition and events companies in the emirate for a period of 12 months. The initiative aims to support the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry in the UAE.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 87,732
• Recoveries: 85,876
• Deaths: 341

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 4 December: Bahrain becomes the second country in the world, after the UK, to grant emergency-use authorisation (EUA) for the Covid-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and its GErman partner BioNTech.
• 3 November: Bahrain authorises the emergency use of a coronavirus vaccine among frontline healthcare workers in direct contact with active Covid-19 cases. The approval follows similar efforts in the UAE last month.
• 1 November: The Health Ministry suspends classes at Al-Rawabi private school as a precautionary measure for 10 days from 2 November. Online classes will be held during the period.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis:  

• 22 November: Information & eGovernment Authority announces a new service to the BeAware Bahrain app that allows users to upload photos of their Covid-19 rapid antigen test results to the app and submit them to relevant authorities at the Health Ministry. The use of the service is mandatory for all positive cases in order to ensure that they receive the necessary help, to examine the accuracy of the test, assess their symptoms and to set a date for a nasal swab PCR test. The service is optional for cases with negative results.
• 10 November: Infectious diseases consultant and microbiologist at the BDF Hospital, Manaf al-Qahtani, says Bahrain placed an order in August to purchase more than 1 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines being developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm. 
• 3 November: Health Ministry to sell rapid antigen test in pharmacies across Bahrain, with a ceiling price of BD4. The Covid-19 rapid antigen test provides results in 15 minutes with an accuracy rate of 93 per cent.
• 2 November: Cabinet approves draft budget for 2021-22 fiscal year, which estimates revenues of BD2.28bn and BD2.33bn in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Overall deficit is estimated at BD1.2bn in 2021 and BD1.1bn in 2022. Manama said its fiscal balance programme had achieved goals set for 2019, but lowered oil prices and "the unprecedented economic impact of Covid-19 on non-oil revenues has increased the overall deficit". 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases:144,164
• Recoveries: 139,610
• Deaths: 889

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 5 December: Kuwait's health minister Basel al-Sabah stressed the importance of upkeeping health procedures amid Kuwait's parliamentary elections. The voter turnout was higher than expected, with larger crowds expected at schools assigned as polling stations. Covid-positive patient were also allowed to vote through dedicated polling stations, with the option to vote via an online app.
• 1 December: Kuwait's Ministry of Healthy authorises the drug 'Bamlanivimab' for emergency use to treat mild to moderate cases of Covid-19 in adults and children over 12 years of age. Kuwait is the third country in the world after US and Cananda to authorise the drug.
• 23 October: Health Ministry says allegations of patients being denied hospital admission are "divorced from reality", adding that citizens and residents must continue to adhere to precautionary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 1 December: Kuwait's Civil Aviation Authority (DCGA) announces that the return of foreign domestic workers will begin on Monday 7 December, with plans for 14-day mandatory quarantine for the expected 80,000 individuals put in place. Nearly 6,000 people will enter Kuwait per day within a four-month timeframe, beginning with workers from India and Philippines. 
• 24 November: Ministry of Health says the BNT162 Covid-19  vaccine will reach Kuwait by the end of this year, and usage will be subject to approval of local regulatory authorities. Assistant undersecretary for medicines and medical supplies, Abdullah al-Bader, said an agreement has been reached with Pfizer and BioNTech, which developed the vaccine, to supply the vaccine to Kuwait.
• 19 November: Kuwait's cabinet ministers design plan to bring back the country's domestic workers, approving the "urgent completion" of a two-phased approach as outlined by Kuwait's aviation regulator chief Sheikh Salman Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah. The first part of the plan deals with travel procedures mandating a worker's sponsor to submit a request online for the return of the worker in question, and the second relates to the financial expenses needed to facilitate the return of the worker.
• 3 November: Kuwait carrier Jazeera Airways is revealed to have laid off 200 staff in September, with the move predominantly covering pilots and cabin crew. The airline had let go of 300 staff in March.  
• 28 October: Cabinet handpicks seniors, patients with chronic diseases, medics, frontline workers and providers of basic services as major categories to be vaccinated against Covid-19 once the country takes delivery of a first shipment of vaccines.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 124,329
• Recoveries: 115,866
• Deaths: 1,435

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 2 December: According to the Times of Oman, the sultanate has entered in an agreement with Pfizer and the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) on the supply of vaccines to cover almost 20 per cent of the country's needs, towards the end of 2020.
• 12 November: Health Minister Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Saeedi says the reduction in case numbers should not be taken as an excuse to ignore precautionary measures, adding: “We intend to obtain enough vaccines to cover 40 per cent of the population as a first stage, hopefully before the end of this year.”
• 1 November: Supreme committee managing Covid-19 says arrivals to Oman must undergo a PCR test within a period of not more than 96 hours prior to entry time. They should also undergo the same test upon arriving in Oman, observe a seven-day quarantine period and repeat the PCR test on the eighth day. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 2 December: Oman's Supreme Committee tasked with Covid-19 allows reopening of cinemas, parks, beach and tourist attractions, while increasing operational capacity of salons and gyms. Other places such as exhibitions halls, food courts, nurseries, etc has also been allowed to reopen.
• 10 November: Labour Ministry says expatriate workers wishing to leave Oman and return to their home country are allowed to do so from 15 November 2020. The ministry also exempted all employers and expatriate workers from fees and fines registered against licences for practicing professions by expatriate workers, provided they leave the sultanate between 15 November and 31 December. This is in line with the decisions of the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from Covid-19, the Labour Ministry said.
• 1 November: Finance Ministry announces the Fiscal Balance Plan 2020-24 in response to the slump in oil prices and Covid-19.  

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 139,783
• Recoveries: 137,060
• Deaths: 239

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 19 November: 2020 FIFA Club World Cup, due to be held in Qatar in December, is rescheduled to 1-11 February 2021. 
• 21 October: Chairman of National Strategic Group on Covid-19 and head of Hamad Medical Corporation's infectious diseases division, Abdullatif al-Khal, says schools will be closed for two weeks if three Covid-19 cases are detected in the same class, or if 5 per cent of students or staff are infected. The number of cases among school students is less than 1 per cent of the total national tally, he said, adding: "Epidemiologists in Qatar do not expect a new wave but the picture will become clear about the possibility of a new wave of the virus during the next four or eight weeks."

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 11 November: Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs Ministry to resume process of issuing labour recruitment from 15 November after a temporary suspenion due to Covid-19. The entry of new recruits will continue according to the travel and return policy of Qatar specified by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management.
• 10 November: Pfizer's and BioNTech's vaccine, if approved, could reach Qatar in the coming months. Chair of the National Health Strategic Group and head of infectious diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation, Abdullatif al-Khal, said: "We have been working with Pfizer and BioNTech since the summer and they are confident that if their vaccine gets the necessary regulatory approval, Qatar will be able to receive an initial quantity of vaccines by the end of this year, or very early in 2021.”

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 1,028,986
• Recoveries: 719,708
• Deaths: 50,016

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 21 November: Fresh curbs imposed but Tehran streets “crowded despite the restrictions”, state TV said in the morning. Some non-essential businesses were open, but the state channel later reportedly showed mostly empty streets and shuttered shops. Reuters reported that President Hassan Rouhani said the two-week restrictions could be extended if the desired results were not achieved.
• 16 November: Rouhani instructs authorities to "clearly and accurately" communicate newly planned curbs for 'red', 'yellow' and 'orange' risk zones by 18 November, three days before the restrictions take effect. 
• 15 November: Rouhani declares “the general mobilisation of the nation and the government” to combat the third wave of Covid-19 in the country, adding: “I call on all governmental organisations and other forces and institutions to rush to the aid of the Health Ministry and health workers with all possible means."
• 14 November: Rouhani says a plan has been prepared to intensify restrictions from 21 November, including a shutdown of businesses and services and restrictions on cars leaving more than 100 cities. He added: "The goal of the intensification of these restrictions is for the people to fully understand that this is an state of emergency and everyone must help to get us out of this situation with the least harm."
• 10 November: Nightly curfew to be imposed on businesses in Tehran and other cities as measure to prevent overwhelming hospital capacity. For one month, all businesses in the capital and 30 other cities must close at 6pm, AP reports. Only grocery stores and pharmacies are allowed to remain open.
• 5 November: Rouhani announces severe restrictions for two weeks in red zones, understood to cover 25 provinces.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 28 November: President Hassan Rouhani addresses efforts by the Ministry of Health to develop a Covid-19 vaccine locally and buy foreign vaccines, adding: "The Central Bank is obliged to provide money for the development of vaccine inside the country and purchase from abroad at the request of the Ministry of Health to get the vaccine at the right time."
• 21 October: Rouhani calls on vice president and head of the Plan & Budget Organisation, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, to fulfil all demands by local nurses "with high priority". 
• 19 October: Rouhani says the government performs 25,000 Covid-19 tests a day and will soon fund the cost of an additional 15,000 daily tests. He added that Iran could purchase up to 20 million testing kits if required, "but in the meantime, we will buy as much as necessary".

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 118,014
• Recoveries: 103,324
• Deaths: 6,750

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 2 December: Egypt's Cabinet authorised the Ministers of Finance and Health to take the necessary measures to build Egypt’s stock of Covid-19 vaccine, approving the drawing up of contracts with the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) to ensure that Egypt will obtain 20 million doses of vaccines. The Cabinet also directed for contracts and deals to be made with several other companies to secure a greater number of doses.
• 18 November: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly warns of harsher wave of Covid-19 and calls on residents to comply with precautionary measures. Face masks are mandatory in public in Egypt, and violators will be fined £E4,000.
• 16 November: Alexandria governor, Mohamed el-Sherif, calls for greater compliance with precautionary measures, both individually and by businesses, as government departments brace for second wave of Covid-19. 
• 3 November: Cabinet spokesperson, Nader Saad, says the government is preparing to take tough action against individuals and companies flouting Covid-19 precautionary measures. This includes a £E4,000 fine on those not wearing masks in designated areas, closing schools for 28 days if a Covid-19 case is detected and increasing the amount of flu vaccine available for the public from 500,000 shots to 2.5 million.
• 2 November: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly calls on citizens to comply with precautionary measures and warns of "difficult steps similar to those applied before", such as lockdowns, if Covid-19 regulations continue to be flouted. 
• 1 November: Health ministry launches precautions that schools must follow to curb the spread of Covid-19. "In case infection rates rise, the decision to shift to online education for the semester will be taken," Education Directorate director, Mohammed Attia, said.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 29 November: Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said the country was reaching positive growth rates, estimating that economic growth in the fiscal year 2021-2022 would reach between 2.8 - 4 per cent.
• 27 November: Crisis cell formed to follow up on hospitals' efforts and requirements ahead of a potential second wave of Covid-19. 
• 26 November: Ministry of Health and Population plans to locally manufacture Covid-19 vaccine. “We plan to cooperate with the World Health Organisation and the Sinovac Manufacturing Company as soon as the final results of the Chinese vaccine appear," the ministry said according to a statement cited by local media.
• 16 November: Higher committee for Covid-19's management has agreed to open 320 hospitals as infection numbers grow, advisor to the president for health and prevention affairs, Mohamed Awad Tajuddin, reportedly said. The hospitals will be prioritised to reduce the overcrowding of patients in local clinics treating chest issues and fevers. Separately, local pharmaceutical company Pharco Corporation's CEO, Sherine Helmy, says the company is "working on finding more than one alternative for [Covid-19] vaccines in Egypt [...] so we can negotiate the price later". Helmy said Pharco plans to localise the manufacturing of the Covid-19 vaccine and export it to Africa, adding agreements are in place with Burundi, Mali, Tanzania and Nigeria to establish pharmaceutical plants. The agreements entail three phases: transit for 1.5 years, packaging for another 1.5 years, and full manufacture, local media reported.
• 10 November: Health & Population Ministry says it has reserved Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine to meet 20 per cent of its needs. 
• 2 November: South Korean government's official development assistance fund provides $200,000 to improve facilities at El-Salhya El-Gedida Central Hospital in Al-Sharqiah governorate. Seoul provided $200,000 in cash to fund emergency health response activities in Egypt in May, and followed it with $500,000-worth of medical supplies such as test kits and face masks in August. Separately, Health & Population Minister Hala Zayed says Cairo's Vacsera has prepared a production line for a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine after it is approved. Egypt and China are collaborating on three vaccines under development. 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 562,520
• Recoveries: 491,657
• Deaths: 12,411

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 20 November: Health Ministry calls on citizens to abide by protective measures against Covid-19, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, adding: "The health teams noticed that there is a great negligence by citizens of health-protective measures such as not wearing masks and holding weddings and condolences with dense gatherings."
• 25 September: Flights to Iran will be suspended for 15 days over coronavirus concerns. 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: 

• 11 November: Cabinet says public sector salaries will be paid after the parliament approves the draft fiscal deficit law this week. 
• 8 November: Higher Committee for Health & National Safety, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, agrees to start new academic year from 29 November, and authorises the payment required for purchasing the first batch of the coronavirus vaccine from the Global Alliance for Vaccines & Immunisation (Gavi).

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 237,513
• Recoveries: 182,463
• Deaths: 3,010

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 29 November: Government announces that three hospitals are being set up at a cost of JD16m to treat coronavirus patients in th northern, central and southern regions of Jordan. 
• 23 November: Minister of State for Media Affairs and the government spokesperson, Ali al-Ayed, says the government is intensifying efforts to monitor businesses' and residents' compliance with precautionary measures. A decision about a total lockdown has not been confirmed, and work is expected to continue in line with existing arrangements until end-2020. Separately, Health Minister Nazir Obeidat says Jordan's citizens and residents will be provided a Covid-19 vaccine for free. He said vaccinating 20 per cent of citizens would "protect" society and that the vaccine would not be mandatory, adding: "There is an integrated national plan to vaccinate groups [that need it most and to] ensure that no dose is lost."
• 22 November: Embassy of Palestine announces closure and temporary halt on processing transactions until further notice, after a number of workers in its various departments caught the new coronavirus.
• 18 November: Industry, Trade & Supply Minister Maha al-Ali says inspection teams comprising members of 13 government departments and the Public Security Directorate (PSD) have been formed to monitor institutional compliance with rules about face masks and social distancing. Transport Minister Marwan Khaitan called for tightening penalties on violators of precautionary measures, as well as increasing inspections on public transport, alongisde the PSD.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 3 December: Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh announced a series of measures to alleviate the economic situation in Jordan, including: 
  • The allocation of JD320 m ($451.3m) to expand social protection for families and individuals. The government will help fund some sectors to protect nearly 180,000 jobs at around 20,000 private sector institutions.
  • The launch of a Tourism Risk Fund, worth JD20m ($28.1m), to support Jordan's tourism sector.
  • A six-month long JD200m ($282m) programme to be launched in December to improve employment opportunities in the private sector for 170,000 workers affected by the pandemic.
  • Expanding the beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund, covering 400,000 more people with a budget of JD100m ($141m).
• 29 November: Germany will provide two grants totalling EUR77.5m to Jordan, including a EUR50m emergency grant to support social protection and prevent poverty resulting from the Covid-19 crisis.
• 28 November: Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) says tourism is among the most 'battered' sectors amid Covid-19, and calls for the cancellation or deferral or rescheduling property tax dues as well as the issuance of a new defense order to settle the "controversy" between landlords and tenants over the payment of rents during lockdown periods. The chamber demanded an additional one-year grace period for borrowers and the deferral of payments on loans secured by tourist establishments, and delaying the payment of income and sales tax balances for 2020 and previous years and schedule the dues so they can be paid by mid-2022. 
• 26 November: Agricultural Credit Corporation to postpone loan installments for farmers and their sponsors for a three-month period. About 30,000 farmers and borrowers will benefit from this decision at an expected total cost of JD10m. The corporation previously deferred the loan installments of farmers and their sponsors for a five-month period, starting from April to September.
• 24 November: Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh says the government will reintroduce salary hikes for public sector employees from 1 January 2021. He added that his government is working on a package that will be announced next week with the aim of expanding social protection for individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Separately, King Abdullah inaugurates 300-bed hospital, built at a cost of JD9m, for Covid-19 patients in Zarqa.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 135,876
• Recoveries: 88,096
• Deaths: 1,090

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 5 December: Director general of the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital (RHUH), Firas Abiad said in a tweet on 5 December that the first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Lebanon in February 2021,and healthcare workers and high risk patients will be prioritised.
• 23 November: Caretaker Public Health Minister Hamad Hassan says Lebanon will receive the Pfizer vaccine "if approved in its final form by no later than mid-February", adding Beirut had held early negotiations with the American drug-maker, allowing Lebanon to be "one of the first countries to receive the vaccine at a competitive price". Pfizer's vaccine will cover 15 per cent of the Lebanese population, while Covax's supply will cover another 20 per cent. The health ministry is "seeking to contact Moderna, especially since its founders are of Lebanese origin", Hassan said according to state news agency NNA, adding: "Yet, contact was more [rapidly established] with Pfizer, as it is an American company and has been in the Lebanese market for many years."

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 18 November: Caretaker Public Health Minister Hamad Hassan signs agreement with the Syndicate of Private Hospitals, represented by its president Sleiman Haroun, to raise tariffs agreed upon in October for PPE and ventilators for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, provided private hospitals receive and treat all individuals infected with the new coronavirus. Hassan said the agreement marked the ministry's affirmation of demands made by private hospitals, adding: "There is no excuse anymore for these hospitals' reluctance to receive [Covid-19] patients." Separately, a sit-in is said to have been organised by protestors outside the Interior Ministry in Beirut to protest deteriorating economic conditions amid the total lockdown in place until the end of November. President of the Beirut Traders Association, Nicolas Chammas, told Arab News: “Hunger can spur riots that lead to dangerous consequences. We are fully aware of the decisions taken to protect the public’s health, but there is also hunger [to consider]. Some of those affected [by the closures] are calling for civil disobedience or the violation of the closure decision.” 
• 16 November: Hassan says the health ministry, during a meeting with the World Bank, discussed the latter's loan and ways of streamlining "bureaucratic procedures that prevent the purchase of equipment for government hospitals". Hassan also met with the head of the Hospitals Syndicate in Lebanon, and assured the ministry's readiness to transfer payments of public and private hospitals, worth about £Leb235bn, to the Finance Ministry. He added: "We have also completed the procedures for the payment of reconciliation contracts, which amounted to £Leb263bn." A shipment of 5,500 Remdesivir tablets has arrived in Lebanon, at an official price of £Leb760,000. Half of these will be distributed to hospitals, with the rest to be kept with agents for direct sales, "so as to avoid the drug being sold in the black market, as has happened before". 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 376,738
• Recoveries: 327,693
• Deaths: 6,184

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 24 November: Covid-19 prevention measures tightened in Chtouka-Ait Baha province. The decision includes closures of cafés, restaurants and shops at 10pm, as well as banning wedding parties, funeral ceremonies and gatherings.
• 23 November: Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb says Rabat has established a national vaccination strategy for the country, as part of which health professionals, teachers, the elderly and those suffering chronic illnesses will be prioritised to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The operation will span 12 weeks, and central commissions have been created to follow up on the implementation plans. Separately, public authorities in Taroudant announce tightening of measures to curb the spread, with trave prohibited and public areas closed from 8pm for a 15-day period. 
• 21 November: Government decides to extend for four weeks the preventive measures in force in Greater Casablanca, including the prefectures of Casablanca and Mohammedia and the provinces of Nouaceur and Mediouna, as well as the Berrechid and Benslimane provinces from 9pm on 22 November. 
• 17 November: Results of clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine involving 600 Moroccan volunteers have been "very positive", says Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb. He added: "It demonstrated its efficiency in phases 1 and 2."

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 4 December: Chinese Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Zhang Xu called for a new plan to promote tourism exchanges between Morocco and China after the Covid-19 pandemic, at a recent Chinese-Moroccan virtual forum. 
• 17 November: Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb says the framework agreement signed to participate in the vaccine trials paves the way for the transfer of expertise to Morocco, adding the vaccine will be produced in Morocco in the near future.
• 11 November: Director of the biotechnology laboratory at the Faculty of Medicine & Pharmacy in Rabat, Azeddine Ibrahimi, says Morocco will receive about 10 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. Frontline workers will be prioritised to receive the vaccine, which while be administered in two doses.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 85,529
• Recoveries: 56,048
• Deaths: 1,219

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19: 

• 14 October: General manager of Benina airport in Benghazi, Abdalla al-Shafee, denies reports that the facility will commence flights to Tripoli on 16 October. He reportedly added that 17 conditions need to be resolved before the airport can reopen, including the appointment of a specialised disinfection company; repairs to security machines; overdue staff payments; and the need for buses, forklifts and fuel. Airlines are also unwilling to fly at half-capacity, as required by the Libyan Anti-Coronavirus Committee, Libya Herald reported.
• 7 September: Head of the National Centre 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: 

• 16 November: Libyan Audit Bureau approves a contract by the Libyan Health Ministry to purchase Covid-19 vaccines worth $9.1m, state news agency Lana reports. Separately, Tripoli-Tunis flights resume after almost eight months of pandemic-induced closures. Libyan Airlines will operate three flights a week to Tunis Carthage airport. Land borders with Tunisia also reopened on 14 November. Tunisians residing near both countries' shared land border were expected to halt demonstrations and blockades against the restrictions amid passenger and cargo revenue losses. 
• 23 October: State-held National Oil Corporation (NOC) announces lifting of force majeure at Sidra and Ras Lanuf ports, adding instructions have been given to initiate production arrangements.
• 11 October: NOC lifts force majeure on the Sharara oilfield, which can pump as much as 300,000 barrels a day.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 102,991
• Recoveries: 76,441
• Deaths: 3,526

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 5 December: The director of the Pasteur Institute of Tunis and Member of the Scientific Committee on Fight against the Coronavirus Hachemi Louzir announced that the 6 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine will be purchased from an international laboratory by the end of the second quarter of 2021 and is 90 per cent effective.
  The name of the laboratory will be revealed once the agreement is officially signed and the delivery date is set. Tunisia is expected to take delivery of the doses in the period between April and June 2021.
• 4 December: Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi says that Tunisia will acquire 6 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, to vaccinate 3 million Tunisians or roughly 25 per cent of the population. The minister said that Tunisia is aiming to vaccinate 50 per cent of the population, deeming the vaccine "necessary to achieve a rate of herd immunity exceeding 60%, which could stop the spread of the virus." 
• 25 November: Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi warns of second wave in late-December if compliance with precautionary measures remains low. He added that recklessness or the relaxation of precautions could lead to a peak in January 2021, adding cases in Tunisia now account for more than 12 per cent of its total population. 

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 23 November: Financial subsidies for the agriculture sector will increase by 17 per cent in 2021 compared to this year, said Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Akissa Bahri. Subsidies for the sector will total TND324m in 2021, Bahri said, adding small farmers have been heavily impacted by Covid-19 in the country. 
• 21 November: Health Ministry takes delivery of protective equipment donated by the Tunisian Red Crescent with support from the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies. The medical aid is worth more than TD500,000 and consists of 6,000 single-use protective suits, 7,000 plastic coronavirus suits, 3,000 sterilised gloves, 150,000 cleaning gloves, 13,000 head-coverings, 13,000 face masks for healthcare personnel and 600 litres of disinfectant solutions.
• 20 November: A donation agreement worth $1m (TD2.75m) was signed between the Tunisian Union of Social Solidarity and World Bank resident representative in Tunis, Tony Verheijen. The agreement targets job creation, especially for youth and women, in the agriculture and agri-food, agri-pastoral and forestry sectors by increasing the productivity and resilience of small, rural producers. The first tranche of $1m will be followed by a second tranche of $3.7m (TD10m). The agreement is part of the Tunisian Rural & Agricultural Chains of Employment Programme, through which the World Bank and the Netherlands are pooling their efforts to support job creation in rural areas.
• 18 November: Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi says Tunis has established contact with foreign laboratories to prepare for the acquisition of a Covid-19 vaccine, in line with WHO guidelines, adding case numbers and deaths due to the pandemic have "levelled off relatively since a package of preventive measures" was launched earlier this month. Separately, cultural activities have been allowed to partially resume from 23 November, starting with art residences, galleries and libraries. Restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 7pm instead of 4pm from 23 November, but coffee shops are excluded from this decision. 

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 87,502
• Recoveries: 56,617
• Deaths: 2,501

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 5 December: Government announces financial aid for citizens to combat costs incurred for CT scans, PCR and other antigen tests necessary for Covid-19.
• 30 November: Algeria's government announces plans to resume domestic air travel from 6 December, resuming travel between all southern provinces in Algeria and 50 per cent of services to northern provinces.
• 29 November: Minister Delegate in charge of Foresight, Mohamed-Cherif Belmihoub said that an inquiry devoted to assess the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on companies and households will be launched by the end of December, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Economic. The first results will be available in January 2021.

Measures to minimise the economic crisis: 

• 21 November: Prime Minister Djerad says the closure of schools is currently ruled out, announcing that contracts are under way with foreign laboratories for the purchase of the Covid-19 vaccine. He added: "In the event that positive cases are recorded in schools, each case will be treated separately. However, the closure of schools is not currently on the agenda."
• 18 November: The healthcare system's capacity to contend with Covid-19 will be increased by 65 per cent, says assistant manager in charge of health services at the Health Ministry, Lamia Yacef. The current capacity of hospitals receiving patients with Covid-19 nationwide is 49.49 per cent for admissions and 38.66 per cent for ICUs.
• 25 October: Director general of the Institut Pasteur d'Alger (IPA), Fawzi Derrar, says Algeria will receive rapid antigen testing kits in the coming days, adding Algiers plans to widen and standardise access to the tests across the country by March 2021, and increase the number of private laboratories approved to run PCR tests.
• 19 October: Energy Ministry plans urgent measures to mitigate the financial impact of Covid-19, including the reduction of investment budgets for national oil and gas companies, Sonatrach and Sonelgaz, respectively, with the aim of saving AD150bn. The ministry has also considered reorganising both businesses so they focus on their core operations, modernising their management systems and optimising investment costs. The ministry also plans to reduce the operating budget of both public enterprises by 17 per cent, or AD182bn. Sonatrach and Sonelgaz are estimated to have faced losses of AD10bn and AD18.7bn between September 2019 and 2020 due to energy market trends and Covid-19.

Covid-19 pandemic latest:

• Total confirmed cases: 2,304
• Recoveries: 1,547
• Deaths: 633

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: 

• 11 November: Kuwait Relief Society donates 15 ICUs to Yemen. The units will be distributed to eight quarantine centres in six governorates, and include supplies of oxygen, monitoring devices, beds, protection materials and respirators.
• 7 October: Unicef says primary schools have reopened following months of closures. Preventive sanitary measures have been implemented and school schedules have been rearranged to avoid overcrowding.
• 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 Local Administration Minister 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: 8,320
• Recoveries: 3,879
• Deaths: 442

Actions to slow the spread of Covid-19:

• 21 October: Health Ministry launches campaign to distribute protective clothing and run more frequent Covid-19 testing for healthcare workers as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus. Influenza test kits will also be provided and healthcare workers in direct contact with Covid-19 patients will be tested for antibodies.
• 16 August: Interior Ministry set 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. 

Financial measures to minimise the economic crisis:

• 24 October: Syria receives medical assistance from the WHO. The shipment, which arrived at Damascus International airport, includes PPE for health workers, medicines and medical supplies.
• 21 October: President Bashar al-Assad issues decree approving an exemption on income tax amid tightening economic conditions. The decree covers all public and private sector workers. It exempts those earning £Syr50,000 ($40) or less a month from paying income tax and reduces the level of taxes paid in the lowest income bracket. Exemptions were previously offered for those earning less than £Syr15,000, according to a decree in 2015. Finance Minister Kinan Yaghi said the authority had also secured resources to disburse grants to citizens, and has called on banks not to charge fees until these grants have been issued.