20 COVID deaths, 796 virus cases recorded on Saturday

AMMAN — Twenty COVID-19 deaths and 796 virus cases were recorded in the Kingdom on Saturday, increasing the caseload to 305,959, the government announced.

The new fatalities took the Kingdom’s coronavirus death toll to 4,009, according to a joint statement issued by the Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Health.

The cases comprised 257 in Irbid, including 26 in Ramtha District, 256 in Amman, 114 in Balqa, 63 in Mafraq, 41 in Zarqa, 19 in Karak, 18 in Ajloun, 17 in Madaba, nine in Aqaba and two in Tafileh.

No new cases were reported in Jerash and Maan, according to the statement.

The statement added that here are currently 14,967 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan.

A total of 59 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on   Saturday, taking the number of patients currently receiving care for COVID-19 in hospitals to 556, the statement said, adding that 41 recovered patients left hospitals.

The statement revealed that the number of isolation beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Friday totalled 434, registering an occupancy rate of 10 per cent, while a total of 209 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, at a rate of 22 per cent.

A total of 102 ventilators were used for treating COVID-19 patients, at an occupancy rate of 11 per cent.

The statement added that 1,590 recoveries were registered in hospitals and home quarantine on Saturday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 286,983.

A total of 16,815virus tests were also conducted on Saturday, bringing the cumulative number of coronavirus tests administered since the outbreak of the pandemic to 3,387,107, with the share of tests returning a positive result, known as positive rate, standing at 4.73 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 “I Protect Them” awareness campaign, which aims to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through increasing public commitment to preventive measures to protect individuals and their beloved ones.