This package also includes:

> Covid-19 spike persists in Iran and North Africa
> Brighter prospects light way for UAE hospitality
> Latest on the region's Covid-19 recovery

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*=Four-week case rate per million people, as of 16 August 2021

Algeria / 782*
Concentrator imports begin to overcome the oxygen shortage, with the health ministry receiving 1,500 units on 15 August.

Bahrain / 1,851*
Manama approves booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca for individuals with low immunity or aged over 60.

Egypt / 17*
Cairo’s shipments of Oxford-AstraZeneca shots through the Covax alliance reach 4.3 million.

Iran / 10,534*
Iran ramps up local vaccine development programmes as fifth wave of Covid-19 spikes.

Iraq / 7,009*
Baghdad receives 500,000 doses from US pledged during Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s White House visit.

Jordan / 2,222*
Amman takes delivery of 5 million protective surgical masks from Germany worth $1.57m.

Kuwait / 4,420*
Kuwait plans to administer booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to at-risk groups from September.

Lebanon / 5,287*
Local health experts warn of imminent crisis as power cuts persist and delay roll-out of vaccinations.

Libya / 8,809*
UN Children’s Fund to support recently launched ‘exceptional’ vaccination drive with cold boxes and first aid kits.

Morocco / 5,671*
Rabat receives shipment comprising 600,000 Pfizer-BioNTech doses as case numbers grow.

Oman / 2,590*
In Al-Dhahirah governorate, phase one of expatriate vaccination programme begins. 

Qatar / 1,776*
Doha has yet to decide whether or not to administer booster shots, according to local media.

Saudi Arabia / 810*
Schools and educational institutions are allowed to track vaccination and infection data for students and staff members through Tawakkalna app.

Syria / 30*
Red Cross Society of China sends batch of unspecified Covid-19 vaccines to Syrian health ministry.

Tunisia / 6,595*
‘Intensive’ inoculation drive begins as Tunis hopes to vaccinate half of 11.6 million population by mid-October.

UAE / 4,173*
Residents arriving in Dubai from India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda are no longer required to carry a vaccination certificate.

Produced on 19 August 2021. Mena=Middle East and North Africa. Sources: World Health Organisation, Worldometers, MEED