11 COVID deaths, 1,240 virus cases recorded Saturday

AMMAN — Eleven COVID-19 deaths and 1,240 virus cases were recorded in the Kingdom on Saturday, increasing the caseload to 344,803, the government announced.

The new fatalities took the Kingdom’s coronavirus death toll to 4,444, according to a joint statement issued by the Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Health.

The cases comprised 820 infections in Amman, 114 in Irbid, including four in Ramtha District, 24 in Mafraq, 113 in Zarqa, 72 in Balqa, 26 in Karak, one in Tafileh, 20 in Ajloun, 10 in Aqaba, 12 in Madaba, 25 in Jerash and three in Maan.

The statement added that there are currently 14,467 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan.

A total of 101 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on Saturday, taking the number of patients currently receiving care for COVID-19 in hospitals to 653, the statement said, adding that 45 recovered patients left hospitals.

The statement revealed that the number of isolation beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Friday totalled 520, registering an occupancy rate of 13 per cent, while a total of 153 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, at a rate of 17 per cent.

A total of 61 ventilators were used for treating COVID-19 patients, at an occupancy rate of 7 per cent.

The statement added that 1,181 recoveries were registered in hospitals and home quarantine on Saturday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 325,892.

A total of 19,571 virus tests were also conducted on Saturday, bringing the cumulative number of coronavirus tests administered since the outbreak of the pandemic to 4,178,921, with the share of tests returning a positive result, known as positive rate, standing at 6.34 per cent, the statement added.

The Ministry of Health has renewed its call on the public to abide by defence orders, as well as to adhere to precautionary measures, mainly wearing face masks and avoiding holding gatherings that exceed 20 people, according to the statement.

The ministry also called on the public to follow its awareness campaigns and register for receiving the vaccine.