FAMILY gatherings and superspreader events that first seeded the coronavirus in Bahrain could keep the pandemic smouldering in the coming months, medics have said.
The warning comes as the country is marking the holy month of Ramadan without major restrictions after two years.
While safety guidelines have been issued by the authorities for ghabgas and majlises, the events could turn superspreaders ... if people let their guards down.
The GDN previously reported that many Covid-19 clusters in the country over the last two years had been linked to family gatherings, weddings, funerals, and religious meetings.
“It’s nice to feel Ramadan after two years, but we must remember that it’s time to be extra cautious, with the virus still lurking around,” Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) senior resident Dr Ahmed Al Alawi told the GDN.
“Facemasks, social distancing and vaccinations are critical and it is every individual’s responsibility to ensure that he or she acts wisely for the greater good, particularly when the lives of our elderly are at stake.”
A hasty approach could also endanger the immuno-compromised – especially with the emergence of new and more infectious Covid-19 variants.
The medic advised people to avoid large crowds and not dismiss symptoms as those of the seasonal flu.
“The weather is changing, and people have a tendency to ignore symptoms like runny nose and flu,” he said. “The virus may not be a risk to an able body, but you should be concerned that you might infect somebody who is immunocompromised and an infection could be life-threatening to them.”
Dr Al Alawi warned that easing restrictions does not mean that the world is free from the threat of infection.
The GDN reported last month that the National Taskforce to Combat Covid-19 urged people to host majlises and ghabgas outdoors. It also called on people to wear face masks while gathering indoors, while recommending the elderly and those with chronic diseases to avoid gatherings.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also cautioned of a possible rise in Covid-19 cases during Ramadan.
“There may be an opportunity for a greater spread of coronavirus during Ramadan because it witnesses a relative change in general behaviour such as the tendency to gather for breakfast or to perform Taraweeh prayers,” the WHO said on its Twitter account.
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office director Dr Ahmed Al Madhari highlighted teachings of the holy month, which is ‘to raise awareness of our Islamic duty’ to protect ourselves and others from infection or death.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 fatalities dropped by almost 63pc last month (March) which saw 17 deaths compared with 46 in February – the highest this year.
January recorded 14 deaths, taking the total this year to 77.
The number of fatalities in Bahrain stands at 1,472 as of Tuesday which is 0.26pc of the total number of infections in the country until date.
Monthly average of cases in intensive care dropped to eight last month compared with 18 in February, while January registered the lowest of six.
Bahrain witnessed a dramatic 250pc drop in infections last month compared with February. A total of 140,307 cases were registered in February, which plunged to 39,386 in March. In January this year, 92,513 infections were recorded.
However, it is noteworthy that the daily number of RT-PCR tests conducted in the country has also reduced. An average of 24,200 tests were done a day in January, which dropped to 22,000 in February and 6,800 in March.
A total of 557,387 people have been infected in the country until Tuesday which is more than 37pc of Bahrain’s estimated population of 1.5 million.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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