WHO demands more data on coronavirus from Mideast states
March 18, 2020, 4:38 pm

WHO demands more data on coronavirus from Mideast states

Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, speaks during a press briefing at the World Health Organisation's regional office in the Egyptian capital Cairo on February 19, 2020, following the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus. (AFP)

The World Health Organization urged Middle Eastern governments on Wednesday to be more forthcoming with information about new coronavirus infections in order to effectively combat the global pandemic. WHO

“We can only control this disease if we have access to information that allows us to understand its dynamic in the region” Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean director, told an online press conference from Cairo.

“We have an opportunity to contain this pandemic in our region,” he added.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases have reached over 18,000 across the Middle East, with more than 1,000 deaths recorded in seven countries, mostly in Iran.

Meanwhile Jean Jabbour, WHO’s Egypt director, explained how two deaths in a village in Daqahliya governorate, 150 kilometres north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, prompted Egyptian authorities to swiftly place 300 families in isolation this week

“At the beginning when they started contracting the first cases in the village and died, (it) was (because of) a gathering in a wedding. Immediately the ministry took the measures in containing and quarantining the people inside the village, which is around 19,000 inhabitants,” Jabbour added.

Comparing it to Italy, he said the village had “an Italian flavor.”

Italy has become the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe, with more than 2,500 people dying from the virus.

Egypt’s health minister Hala Zayed said on Monday “cleansing procedures” were underway to prevent further infections. WHO

“Now we have more families under quarantine and measures are being so strict in that area in order to avoid the spread to other communities,” Jabbour said, without specifying the total number of people in isolation beyond the 300 families.

source: AFP levant

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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.”