31 COVID deaths, 2,221 virus cases recorded Thursday

AMMAN — Thirty-one COVID-19 deaths and 2,221 virus cases were recorded in the Kingdom on Thursday, increasing the caseload to 269,806, the government announced.

The new fatalities took the Kingdom’s coronavirus death toll to 3,496, according to a joint statement issued by the Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Health.

The cases comprised 712 infections in Amman, 572 in Irbid, including 86 in Ramtha District, 166 in Mafraq, 149 in Balqa, 147 in Zarqa, 92 in Jerash, 92 in Ajloun, 91 in Madaba, 72 in Karak, 59 in Aqaba, 48 in Tafileh and 21 in Maan, including five in Petra District.

The statement added that there are currently 32,920 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan.

A total of 137 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on Thursday, taking the number of patients currently receiving care for COVID-19 in hospitals to 1,136, the statement said, adding that 123 recovered patients left hospitals.

The statement revealed that the number of isolation beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Wednesday totalled 946 registering an occupancy rate of 22 per cent, while a total of 321 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, at a rate of 34 per cent.

A total of 156 ventilators were used for treating COVID-19 patients, at an occupancy rate of 18 per cent.

The statement added that 3,116 recoveries were registered in hospitals and home quarantine on Thursday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 233,390.

A total of 21,176 virus tests were also conducted on Thursday, bringing the cumulative number of coronavirus tests administered since the outbreak of the pandemic to 2,915,266, with the share of tests returning a positive result, known as positive rate, standing at 10.49 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.