Over 1,600 infected with coronavirus across Middle East and North Africa
March 2, 2020, 12:30 pm

Over 1,600 infected with coronavirus across Middle East and North Africa

Locals wear face masks to take precautions from coronavirus, as they shop at the Bahrain's Autumn Fair 2020, in Manama, Bahrain January 29, 2020. (File photo Reuters)

Coronavirus continues to spread across the Middle East and North Africa with over 1,600 infected across the region.

The coronavirus first started spreading from Wuhan, China, earlier this year and has since infected nearly 90,000 people, with over 3,000 dead. The Middle East has been hit particularly hard as cases started spreading across the region as travelers returned from Iran, the second deadliest epicenter for the disease after China, with 66 reported dead.

Here is a chart of the spread of the coronavirus in the Middle East and North Africa so far:

Click here for our dedicated coronavirus section.

How coronavirus spread from Iran

The first cases of coronavirus were recorded in UAE on January 29, 2019. However, the virus appeared to have been contained within the country, which only has 21 cases to date and no recorded deaths.

The virus instead spread across the region in late February, following an explosion of cases in Iran which then spread to nearby Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq.

Iran itself has struggled to contain the virus, with several officials from the regime falling ill. On Monday, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei died of coronavirus.

While no cases have yet been declared in Syria, officials have begun to prepare for the virus spreading to the war-torn country.

The spread of the virus across the region has hit the economy, with Gulf stocks falling on Sunday and the aviation industry forced to cancel flights.

Saudi Arabia announced it was temporarily suspending visas for Umrah pilgrims to Mecca to prevent the spread of the virus, although the Kingdom is yet to report a confirmed case.

source: Matthew Amlôt

Total of 150 confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany: Robert Koch Institute Tackling the Syrian Fire

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”