The number of Covid-19 cases in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region reached 19,359,999 on 29 March, according to Worldometers data collated by MEED.

Countries in the GCC account for 18.6 per cent (3,570,415) of all regional cases, while Iran’s 7,154,003 infections make up 37.2 per cent of the regional tally.

More regional countries, including Kuwait, Oman and Egypt, have eased curbs on prayers and protocols during Ramadan this year, which is expected to begin on 2 April. Covid-19 rules for social activities and areas of worship have also been amended in Jordan.

Travel restrictions are being eased in parts of the region. In Saudi Arabia, significant updates have been made to pre-flight rules. The UAE has also revised regulations for close contacts of Covid-positive individuals and travellers entering through its land ports.

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has lifted all remaining Covid-19 restrictions on travel, with visitors no longer required to show vaccination certificates or PCR test results upon arrival. Quarantine requirements have also been scrapped.

The Tawakkalna app remains necessary to enter offices, some public and private buildings, airports and public transport vehicles.

The health ministry said declining case numbers and increased vaccination rates prompted the decision to ease travel restrictions. Curbs have already been lifted on social activities, including in schools and mosques. Earlier this month, suspensions on flights to and from 17 countries – including South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius and Afghanistan – were also lifted.

UAE
Individuals in close contact with a Covid-positive person must only test on days one and seven, or when they start showing symptoms, according to new guidelines issued by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (Ncema). The decision marks an easing of previous procedures, which required close contacts in the UAE to take a PCR test for five consecutive days.  

Each UAE emirate may set its own Covid protocol. In Dubai, close contacts who are not experiencing symptoms are not required to take a PCR test, but must isolate for 10 days, in line with guidelines set by the Dubai Health Authority.

Ncema has also updated the rules to enter through the country’s land ports, with PCR tests no longer required regardless of the traveller’s vaccination status. An exponential deep examination (EDE) test – which uses scanners to detect Covid-19 infections – must be conducted upon arrival.

PCR tests must follow if EDE results are positive, and travellers will not be allowed entry until the PCR test result has arrived. All individuals in the vehicle must be tested. The green pass on the Al-Hosn app remains necessary to enter events and tourism and cultural sites.

Bahrain
French biotech company Valneva has said it is on track to deliver the first shipments of its VLA2001 vaccine – the only whole virus inactivated adjuvanted vaccine candidate in clinical trials in Europe – to Bahrain by the end of March 2022. Valneva signed a purchase agreement for 1 million doses with Manama in December and received emergency use authorisation earlier this month.

Kuwait
Iftar gatherings inside mosques have been banned in Kuwait during the holy month of Ramadan as a precaution against Covid-19, according to local media reports. Setting up Ramadan tents within mosque precincts has also been banned. The distribution of pre-cooked meals outside mosques is permitted.

Separately, at least 20 Indian curriculum schools have postponed the resumption of face-to-face learning until September. Classes were planned to resume from school on 3 April, but will now be held at 50 per cent capacity from September. The deferment is reportedly driven by a shortage of teaching staff and equipment.

Oman
Worshippers can conduct the taraweeh nightly congregational prayers during the holy month of Ramadan after two years of restrictions due to Covid-19. Preachers, guides and supervisors can lead the prayers in mosques with no imams.

Iran
Iran has exported 200,000 doses of a locally made vaccine to Nicaragua, according to Health Minister Bahram Einollahi, who added that six facilities are producing jabs in the country.

The health ministry issued export licences for 20 per cent of domestically produced vaccines in November. Earlier this week, Deputy Health Minister Mohammad Hossein Niknam called on the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support Iran in registering its locally produced vaccines.

Egypt
Charity communal meals will be permitted for the first time since 2020 as Egypt confirms eased restrictions during Ramadan in 2022. The Mawa’ed al-Rahman events include providing homemade meals as a form of charity. Cairo will also allow taraweeh prayers during Ramadan, but the cabinet has said prayers must be limited to 30 minutes and conducted with social distancing.

Mosques will close to worshippers after taraweeh and the late-night tahajjud prayers will reportedly not be permitted. Friday prayers will follow social distancing and shorter duration guidelines issued last year.

Cafés and restaurants will be allowed to remain open until 2am from April, and indoor hotel halls will be allowed to host weddings and celebrations with precautions.

Iraq
Baghdad received 1 tonne of specialised electrical equipment and a maintenance toolkit from Nato’s Pandemic Response Stockpile, with air transportation provided by Italy. This delivery follows an oxygen generation system and 100 oxygen cylinders donated last year, and marks the completion of the Pandemic Response Trust Fund project to support Iraq. Nato said several Allied donor countries, including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Slovakia and Turkey, financed the project.

Jordan
Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh has issued new measures to ease Covid-19 restrictions, including permissions to host indoor and outdoor gatherings and removing the mandate for face masks in open spaces. Social distancing is no longer required during prayers, but worshippers must adhere to mask-wearing. Capacity limits in restaurants, cafés and wedding venues have been lifted.

Separately, the World Bank has approved $350m in additional financing for Jordan’s Covid-19 Emergency Response project to continue cash support to vulnerable households and workers most impacted by the pandemic. The bank’s additional funding will also partially fund the extension of the Estidama programme launched in December 2020 to provide wage subsidies to 110,000 formal workers in firms most affected by the pandemic. The scheme’s latest extension continues until June 2022.

Morocco
Morocco’s government council has extended the country’s state of emergency for an additional month to 30 April in the event further action is required to contain Covid-19. The state of emergency was introduced in March 2020 and allows authorities to take proactive action to avoid the deterioration of Morocco’s epidemiological situation.

Tunisia
A cruise ship has docked at the La Goulette port on the edge of Tunis, marking the first time since 2019 that cruise tourism activity has been conducted in Tunisia. The Spirit of Discovery cruise, operated by the UK’s Saga, reportedly carried 724 passengers, mostly British, German, Italian and Spanish, to the country.

Tunisian authorities are hoping to revive the local tourism sector and restore spending to 60 per cent of 2019 levels – the best Tunisian tourism season since the 2011 protests – to boost the economy. Tourism makes up 14 per cent of Tunisia’s GDP and employs around 2 million citizens.

Representational lead image: Spa