CAIRO: Banning children, wearing face masks and closing toilets are some of the rules that Egypt’s mosques must follow during the coronavirus pandemic, as a parliamentary committee on Wednesday discussed plans to welcome back worshippers.
A number of members from the Committee of Religious Affairs and Endowments backed the Ministry of Awqaf’s plan to open mosques on the condition that the Ministry of Health confirmed that the virus no longer posed a threat.
“By opening up all mosques we are contributing to less crowding in mosques, because if we open only a percentage of the mosques in the country, it will increase the number of worshippers who visit them, instead of having them spread throughout the many mosques in the country,” committee secretary Omar Hamroush said. “It is better to have all mosques operating while taking the necessary precautions and preventive measures to prevent the spread of the virus.” He emphasized the need to clean and disinfect mosques after each of the five daily prayers.
Should the Ministry of Health give the green light then mosques, which were sealed off in March in the wake of the outbreak, will accept worshippers but they will be expected to follow regulations announced by the Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa.
They include wearing a protective face mask at all times, keeping a safe distance between rows of worshippers and for each person to have their own prayer mat. Toilets and ablution areas will be closed and there will be a limit to the amount of time spent in the mosque. Children will not be allowed in.
The Ministry of Awqaf’s plan also includes a system for arranging worshippers. There is to be a minimum of 1.5 meters between each person and the same distance between each row of people.
Committee undersecretary, Shoukry El-Gendy, supported the ministry’s plans for reopening mosques and smaller places of worship – zawiyas – and the proposed precautionary measures. But he added that much depended on the congregations themselves.  
“We are counting on the cooperation of worshippers and mosque goers,” he said.
He added that people’s concerns about crowding would be allayed as they could go to mosque in shifts rather than everyone heading there at the same time.
The decision to open mosques has not yet been broached by the Egyptian government as discussions have been limited to the ministry and parliament. Some fear that opening mosques too soon may contribute to the spread of the virus.
Dr. Abdel-Samie Ahmed, who has been working in a quarantine hospital, told Arab News that any decision to open up mosques must be studied carefully according to instructions issued by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, taking into account the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Egypt during the past few days.
As of Wednesday, the virus had killed 1,052 and infected 27,536.
Ahmed said that if mosques were open then zawiyas must be excluded from the decision, especially because of their limited space and a lack of proper ventilation.

DUBAI: In the ongoing havoc the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is wreaking, a double bind has the Gulf region’s health experts worried — the rising cases of diabetes and obesity and the increased risk of mortality this population faces due to the pandemic.

According to the International Diabetic Federation (IDF), more than 39 million adults aged 20 to 79 had diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region last year. The figure is estimated to increase to 108 million by 2045.

The IDF Atlas states that 15.4 percent of adults aged 20 to 79 in the UAE are diabetic, while in Bahrain the number is 19.6 percent. In Kuwait and Qatar, the figure jumps to 20 percent.

In Saudi Arabia, it is estimated that 15 percent of the adult population has diabetes, and many more are likely to be either undiagnosed or pre-diabetic, leaving them on the edge of the chronic disease.

These numbers are alarming by themselves, but what is more concerning is that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some groups face a greater risk than others.

A study conducted by the Imperial College London found that people with Type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as those without it.

The study also found that people with Type 1 diabetes were three and a half times more likely to die from a COVID-19 infection.

What causes such a lethal outcome? According to Dr. Nasr Al-Jafari of DNA Health Corporation, Dubai, the virus can be deadly because of its ability to stimulate a part of the immune system called the “inflammasome.”

“This can often cause an uncontrolled release of pro-inflammatory responses of the immune system, which leads to what has been described as a ‘cytokine storm’ (where the body starts to attack its own cells instead of fighting off the invading virus). The consequences are a potentially severe and irreversible damage to the heart and lungs,” Al-Jafari told Arab News.

“We also know that people suffering from both diabetes and obesity have a chronic activation of this same ‘inflammasome.’

“Therefore, these people are more at risk of developing the above-described inflammatory cascade of events, ultimately putting them at a higher risk of needing ventilatory support, and even a higher risk of death.”

Khadija Kapasi, a Kuwait-based clinical dietitian, says that the problem people with diabetes face is one of “worst outcomes.”

“People with co-morbidities like heart disease, diabetes and obesity have a higher chance of complications with COVID-19, and diabetics are particularly vulnerable because the virus can cause difficulties managing it,” she said.

Echoing the concerns of Al-Jafari and Kapasi, Dr. Asma Deeb, division chief of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City in Abu Dhabi, said that the risk of COVID-19 is expected to be high due to the wide prevalence of diabetes in the Gulf region.

“Diabetes can make COVID-19 symptoms more severe and can cause a greater likelihood of mortality,” she said, adding: “Obesity has also been identified as a risk factor.”

In addition to having diabetes, over half of diabetics in the region are reported as having at least one co-morbidity, said Kapasi. In Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, one in five are reported as having two or more co-morbidities.

“Saudi Arabia also ranks in the top 15 countries for obesity, which leads to diabetes and its complications,” Kapasi said. “The UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar are listed in the top 15 nations for the highest rate of diabetes per capita.”

“Diabetes is a risk factor for hospitalization and mortality of the COVID-19 infection,” Bassam Bin Abbas, professor and pediatric consultant of endocrinology at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, told Arab News.

“More than a third of the Kingdom’s adult population is obese, and obesity is also a risk factor for severe infection and diabetic complications.”

What is causing this rise in numbers? According to research from New York University Abu Dhabi, Gulf citizens may have a genetic predisposition to diabetes. But that is not the only reason.

“Experts concerned about the rapid increase in lifestyle diseases in this region have looked to history and environmental factors to identify the cause,” said Kapasi.

And the cause, according to her, is clear: “Unhealthy lifestyles and urbanization. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are some of the wealthiest countries in the world today, and the lifestyle of the average citizen in these countries is dramatically different from that of the pre-oil era.”

Al-Jafari describes Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for over 90 per cent of the cases, as a “lifestyle disease.”

“The modernized lifestyle adopted by a large part of the population is a perfect storm for developing ‘insulin resistance’, which is at the root of this condition,” he said.

“There is an over-availability of, and dependency on, fast foods and processed foods. The lifestyle has largely become sedentary, particularly during the hotter months.”

According to all the specialists, the need of the hour is to raise awareness among people with diabetes and offer them more education and support to manage their condition during this difficult time.

Diabetics are advised to strictly monitor their blood glucose level at regular intervals to ensure that it is under control.

“They should check not only fasting but also post-meal glucose levels, which are more likely to be higher,” said Dr. Abdul Jabbar, consultant endocrinologist, Medcare Hospital, Al Safa, Dubai.

“They should strictly adhere to their medication schedule, including for control of blood pressure and lipids. Wherever possible, patients should tele-consult with doctors to reduce exposure to the virus,” he said.

Diabetes in COVID-19 patients can also be more difficult to treat due to the fluctuations of blood glucose, concomitant sepsis, and high risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis and multi-organ failure, said Dr Vikram Hundia, consultant endocrinologist at Al-Zahra Hospital Dubai.

“Ensuring an adequate stock of regular medications, including insulin, is vital during these times when an overburdened healthcare system, shortages in supply of drugs and travel restrictions may pose a challenge,” he said.

“Employers may need to provide special working conditions to those suffering from diabetes to minimize their risk of exposure,” he told Arab News, adding that Gulf Cooperation Council states needed to put in place coordinated and effective measures for diabetic patients to prevent exposure to this infection.

“Working closely with the diabetes management team, optimizing diabetes control, practicing a healthy lifestyle, and staying safe and fit will not only protect patients with diabetes, it will also help them emerge from this pandemic stronger and healthier,” Hundia said.

Many regional governments have taken steps to combat the rise in the numbers of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity, including the Saudi government’s “Quality of Life Program,” one of the Vision Realization Programs of Saudi Arabia 2030.

“It aims to enhance the quality of life in the Kingdom through lifestyle improvement by increasing individuals’ participation in entertainment, sport and cultural activities,” Bin Abbas, of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, said.

“Other measures, including taxing sugary drinks, fitness initiatives and focusing on preventative care, have already been rolled out to address the rising epidemic.”

Twitter: @CalineMalek

DUBAI: Shopping malls in Dubai will fully reopen for business on Wednesday, in the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions, the emirate’s media office announced.
The step makes the glitzy city-state the first in the Middle East to drop nearly all restrictions to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus that hit retailers and leisure activities.
Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, had already shortened a nighttime curfew to just seven hours starting from 11 p.m. (1900GMT).
Businesses in the private sector had been allowed since last week to work at 50 percent capacity, but the authorities now say they can “fully operate.”
“Shopping malls and private sector businesses in the emirate will fully operate at 100 percent from tomorrow, Wednesday,” the Dubai Media Office tweeted on Tuesday.
Dubai’s shopping centers include the Mall of the Emirates, which has its own indoor ski slope, and Dubai Mall, adjacent to Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure.
“The move aims to ensure the private sector is able to resume normal activity without compromising on preventive steps to protect people’s health and safety,” a media office statement said.
Preventative measures include wearing face masks, maintaining a minimum distance of two meters (around 6 feet) between individuals, and the regular use of hand sanitiser, the statement added.
Dubai has the most diversified economy in the Gulf, relying on trade, retail, tourism and real estate.
Its neighbor Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, cordoned off the city and banned travel between regions in the emirate for a week starting Tuesday.
The UAE has so far recorded more than 35,000 cases of the COVID-19 respiratory disease, including 269 deaths.

TUNIS: The head of Tunisia’s National Heritage Institute urged authorities Tuesday to block the sale of royal artefacts at an auction in France, saying they were spirited out of the country.
More than 100 objects “of huge historical value were taken out of the country without any official authorization in the second half of March, in the midst of the (coronavirus) lockdown,” Faouzi Mahfoudh said.
“They don’t belong to any state museum. It’s private property,” the head of the National Heritage Institute told AFP.
They include an ancient Qur’an which belonged to Mohamed el-Moncef Bey, one of the last representatives of the Husseinite monarchy that ruled Tunisia from 1705 until its independence from France in 1957, Mahfoudh said.
Also in the lot is the original copy of a reference book on the Husseinite monarchy written by 19th century Tunisian historian and politician Ahmed ibn Abi Dhiaf.
Among the 114 objects are ceremonial apparel from the start of the 20th century, religious manuscripts, poetry books and official correspondence.
They are due to go under the hammer in an online June 11 sale organized by the Paris-based Coutau-Bégarie auction house.
“The authorities must do what is needed to stop this sale because these objects have a priceless value and are part of the country’s history,” said Mahfoudh.
He said that authorities on Tuesday had launched an investigation to determine how the artefacts were smuggled out of Tunisia.
Mahfoudh said the National Heritage Institute had only found out on Sunday that the objects had left Tunisia without authorization.
“I will not cede these objects to anyone for all the money in the world,” Mahfoudh said.
The National Heritage Institute is also planning on submitting an official complaint to the state prosecutor, he said.

DUBAI: Efforts to return life gradually back to some kind of normality in parts of the Middle East continue, as governments get ready to reopen borders and airlines take bookings for flights. 
Tunisia said it will open its sea, land and air borders on June 27 in the hope of rescuing its tourism industry as the coronavirus pandemic comes under control.
Emirates airline also announced that it was taking bookings for flights from Dubai to 12 Arab countries from the start of July. Emirates began operating scheduled flight services to nine destinations around the world from May 21, including London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s commercial complexes, hotels, cafes and museums reopened their doors to customers on Monday after closing for two-and-a-half months. 

June 2, Tuesday (GMT Times)

15:42 – Greece said it was suspending flights to and from Qatar until June 15 after multiple coronavirus cases on a flight from Doha to Athens.
The Greek civil protection authority said 12 out of 91 people on a Qatar Airways flight that arrived on Monday had tested positive for COVID-19.

14:19 – Emirates will make a decision on the size of its future fleet in the next few months once there is greater clarity on whether demand for travel will start to rebound next year, the airline’s president said on Tuesday.
“We need a little more time to see how this is all going to pan out,” he said in an online interview with industry publication Aviation Week.

13:41 – Dubai will allow full reopening of malls and private sector businesses starting on Wednesday, the emirate’s media office announced in a statement.

#Dubai‘s shopping malls and private sector businesses to fully operate at 100% capacity. pic.twitter.com/F3h8ynBK1D

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 2, 2020

12:45 – Saudi Arabia registered 1,869 new coronavirus cases and 1,484 people have recovered.

12:13 – Zimbabwean troops and police on Tuesday tightened the coronavirus lockdown in the capital Harare, blocking many cars and buses from entering the central business district as cases of infections increased.

11:44 – Qatar has reported 1,826 coronavirus cases, raising total to 60,259.

11:28 –  Scientists have found 27 key proteins in the blood of people infected with COVID-19 which they say could act as predictive biomarkers for how ill a patient could become with the disease.

10:24 – Kuwait has confirmed 887 coronavirus cases and the recovery of 50 percent of total infected people.

10:22 – UAE has recorded 596 coronavirus cases and 388 recoveries.

09:43 – New reported cases of coronavirus are steadily declining in Western Europe, but not in Russia and Eastern Europe: World Health Organization spokeswoman said.

09:34 – Formula One has unveiled an eight-race schedule in Europe from July 5 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

09:32 – Iran has reported 64 coronavirus deaths, 3,117 cases, raising total infected people to 157,562 with 7,942 fatalities.

09:20 – The number of coronavirus deaths in Britain is close to 50,000, Reuters reported.

09:07 – Hong Kong will extend restrictions on foreign visitors by another three months and an eight-person limit on group gatherings by two weeks, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said on Tuesday.
Both measures were due to expire later in June.
Travellers to Hong Kong need to undergo a mandatory 14 day quarantine period.

08:45 – 12,739 people died from coronavirus in England and Wales as of May 22, the Office for National Statistics said.

08:16 – Senegal has postponed the restart of schools until further notice after several teachers tested positive for the new coronavirus, the education ministry said late on Monday.

07:51 – Russia has confirmed 8,863 coronavirus cases and 182 deaths in the past 24 hours.

07:02 – A Wuhan doctor who worked with coronavirus whistleblower Li Wenliang died of the virus last week, state media reported Tuesday, becoming China’s first COVID-19 fatality in weeks.
07:00 – Paris gets some of its pre-lockdown life back as cafes and restaurants partially reopen Tuesday.
06:51 – The global coronavirus death toll has topped 375,000, according to AFP tally.

06:45 – The first Rohingya refugee died from coronavirus in Bangladesh, an official said.

05:59 – Egypt has sanitized prisons and carried out tests on prisoners across the country after banning visits to help curb the spread of coronavirus, local daily Egypt Today reported.

05:50 – A cluster of nine coronavirus cases raised concerns in Hong Kong over renewed local transmission in a city that has been one of the most successful in keeping the pandemic under control. 

05:18 – The United States on Monday recorded 743 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, bringing its total to 105,099 since the global pandemic began.