Jordan sees ‘clear decrease’ in COVID-19 cases

AMMAN — The National Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases Centre (NEIDC) on Monday said that the Kingdom has seen a clear decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases and positive tests in the past two weeks, compared with previous epidemiological weeks.

The centre said that the decline was in line with its estimates concerning the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom, which indicated that COVID-19 cases would begin to go down before Ramadan, after witnessing a significant rise in infections and hospital admissions in February and early March, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Based on the stabilisation of the current epidemiological situation, which will continue during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr, the NEIDC expects Jordan to be one of the countries eligible to live with COVID-19 in a similar manner to other acute respiratory diseases, such as the seasonal flu. 

It noted that these expectations are in line with a recent announcement by the World Health Organisation that COVID-19 infections have fallen by 31 per cent, and pandemic-related deaths have fallen by 46 per cent over the past 28 days globally. 

This decline has reached a point where the risk of COVID-19 is similar to that of seasonal flu, WHO said, adding that such a situation would allow countries to live with the COVID-19 virus without disrupting public life.

The centre called on citizens to continue to take preventive measures to avoid infection from acute respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, especially during the season of its spread.

The NEIDC urged high-risk groups of older people, those who have immune system deficiencies or chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and others, to avoid social habits that may pose a risk in transmitting infections, such as kissing and shaking hands, as much as possible.

The centre stressed the need for at-risk individuals to commit to wearing a mask when necessary, ventilating closed areas and washing their hands constantly.