A Yemeni wears a protective face mask amid the ongoing coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
A Yemeni wears a protective face mask amid the ongoing coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
A Yemeni wears a protective face mask amid the ongoing coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA
A Yemeni wears a protective face mask amid the ongoing coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic in Sanaa, Yemen. EPA

Yemen: government appeals for help as coronavirus cases rocket


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The Yemeni government has appealed to the international community for help in dealing with a surge of coronavirus cases across the war-ravaged country.

Yemen has only officially registered 130 cases of the virus and 20 deaths, but health infrastructure problems caused by a long conflict between the government and Houthi rebels are hindering tests.

WHO models project half of Yemen’s 30 million population could become infected, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths.

Yemen’s Health Minister Nasser Ba’aom and Minister of Local Administration Abdul Raqib Fatah made the plea for international assistance on Sunday.

“We need PPE supplies, ventilators and finance for the medical workers who work in the Covid-19 centres,” Dr Ba’aom said.

“We also need medical equipment such as a complete biological unit, testing kits, field hospitals, beds for the ICUs.

"Additionally, we still need food aid as well as water, sanitation and hygiene equipment.”

The appeal followed similar pleas from medical staff in treatment centres across government-controlled areas.

"We have been facing a severe shortage in the medical supplies needed to handle with Covid-19 cases," a doctor in Aden told The National.

"The testing equipment and kits are very few.

"We also need personal protective equipment, and equipment with all the medical solutions needed to test suspected cases.

“Many suspected cases arrive in the centre on a daily basis but we do nothing for them because we don’t have testing materials that enable us to identify whether the patient has Covid-19 or another disease."

Health authorities in Yemen face additional challenges battling the pandemic during the war time.

They also have a lack of experienced and qualified medical staff, and those who are qualified fear they will catch the virus.

“We face a lot of challenges in the fight to curb the pandemic. We don’t have a clear strategic vision for health so far,” said Dr Jamal Khadabakhish, Aden’s health director.

Coronavirus around the region: in photos

  • Health workers enter the Al Kubi Hospital in Yemen's southern coastal city of Aden. AFP
    Health workers enter the Al Kubi Hospital in Yemen's southern coastal city of Aden. AFP
  • A drone shows deserted streets during the lockdown imposed by the authorities in Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
    A drone shows deserted streets during the lockdown imposed by the authorities in Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
  • A man walks through the Zebaalin neighbourhood in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
    A man walks through the Zebaalin neighbourhood in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
  • A Jordanian returning from abroad offers a prayer of thanks upon arrival at the Queen Alia International Airport, Amman. EPA
    A Jordanian returning from abroad offers a prayer of thanks upon arrival at the Queen Alia International Airport, Amman. EPA
  • Elderly people spend time at Gezi Park in Istanbul, Turkey. EPA
    Elderly people spend time at Gezi Park in Istanbul, Turkey. EPA
  • Turkish mounted police officers patrol the Kizilay National Will Square in Ankara. AFP
    Turkish mounted police officers patrol the Kizilay National Will Square in Ankara. AFP
  • Palestinian women make traditional biscuits in preparation for the upcoming Eid Al Fitr holiday in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AFP
    Palestinian women make traditional biscuits in preparation for the upcoming Eid Al Fitr holiday in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Altar boys take part in a mass at the Mart Shmoni church in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. AFP
    Altar boys take part in a mass at the Mart Shmoni church in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. AFP
  • A Jordanian returning from abroad arrives at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman. EPA
    A Jordanian returning from abroad arrives at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman. EPA
  • Jordanian brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ashish, boxers who qualified for the next Olympics, train on the roof of their home at Al Baqaa Palestinian refugee camp, near Amman. Reuters
    Jordanian brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ashish, boxers who qualified for the next Olympics, train on the roof of their home at Al Baqaa Palestinian refugee camp, near Amman. Reuters
  • A man prepares disinfectant during a civil initiative to sterilise the Zebaalin district in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
    A man prepares disinfectant during a civil initiative to sterilise the Zebaalin district in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
  • A woman walks past writing on a wall that encourages people to stay at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus, in Sale, Morocco. EPA
    A woman walks past writing on a wall that encourages people to stay at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus, in Sale, Morocco. EPA
  • A Moroccan police officer confronts curfew violators in Rabat. EPA
    A Moroccan police officer confronts curfew violators in Rabat. EPA
  • A healthcare worker assists a coronavirus patient at one of the intensive care units of the Moulay Abdellah hospital in Sale, Morocco. EPA
    A healthcare worker assists a coronavirus patient at one of the intensive care units of the Moulay Abdellah hospital in Sale, Morocco. EPA

“The rapid spread of the pandemic in the country added new challenges.

"Some public sector medical staff still refuse to go to their workplaces. They still have a pandemic phobia even though we provided them with enough personal protective equipment.”

Dr Khadabakhish said medical staff were afraid to work because of the large number of deaths among their colleagues.

Other regions reported different issues.

“We have the testing kits but we really face a shortage in personal protective equipment,” said Dr Riyadh Al Gerari, head of the Supreme National Committee Combating Covid-19 in Hadramawt.

The Ministry of Health reported six new cases in Hadramawt on Sunday, raising the number of recorded cases in nine government-controlled provinces to 128. Two more were reported on Tuesday.

The EU responded quickly to the government’s appeal, promising €55 million (Dh220.8m/US60.1$m) to “build a strong and co-ordinated European response in Yemen”.

“The EU will reorient ongoing support to help Yemen respond to the Covid-19 pandemic in the immediate and short-term,” the bloc said.

“Ongoing projects in the health sector will be recalibrated focusing on training medical staff, strengthening the network of community healthcare workers, strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities, improving health services and empowering local development.”

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

Recycle Reuse Repurpose

New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to  handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors

Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site

Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area

Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent  organic waste  and 13 per cent  general waste.

About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor

Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:

Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled

Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays

Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters

Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill 

THE%20SWIMMERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5

Price, base: Dh359,200

Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 582bhp

Torque: 730Nm

Price: Dh649,000

On sale: now  

Scoreline

Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (53')

Atletico Madrid 1
Griezmann (57')

War and the virus
About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
  • The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
  • The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
  • The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
  • The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
  • The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
BMW%20M4%20Competition
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.0%20twin-turbo%20inline%20six-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20eight-speed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E503hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20600Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20from%20Dh617%2C600%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What%20is%20Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons%3F%20
%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Hales' batting career

Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94

ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171

T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out