10 COVID deaths, 608 virus cases recorded Saturday

AMMAN — Ten COVID-19 deaths and 608 virus cases were recorded in the Kingdom on Saturday, increasing the caseload to 319,519, the government announced.

The new fatalities took the Kingdom’s coronavirus death toll to 4,217, according to a joint statement issued by the Prime Ministry and the Ministry of Health.

The cases comprised 294 infections in Amman, 95 in Irbid, including 23 in Ramtha District, 60 in Mafraq, nine in Zarqa, 94 in Balqa, eight in Madaba, 20 in Karak, 16 in Ajloun, six in Aqaba, five in Jerash, and one in Tafileh, while no cases were reported in Maan.

The statement added that there are currently 9,056 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan.

A total of 41 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on Saturday, taking the number of patients currently receiving care for COVID-19 in hospitals to 396, the statement said, adding that 24 recovered patients left hospitals.

The statement revealed that the number of isolation beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Friday totalled 328, registering an occupancy rate of 8 per cent, while a total of 121 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, at a rate of 13 per cent.

A total of 73 ventilators were used for treating COVID-19 patients, at an occupancy rate of 8 per cent.

The statement added that 1,250 recoveries were registered in hospitals and home quarantine on Saturday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 306,246.

A total of 13,019 virus tests were also conducted on Saturday, bringing the cumulative number of coronavirus tests administered since the outbreak of the pandemic to 3,691,350, with the share of tests returning a positive result, known as positive rate, standing at 4.67 per cent, the statement added.

The Ministry of Health has renewed its call on the public to abide by defence orders, as well as to adhere to precautionary measures, mainly wearing face masks and avoiding holding gatherings that exceed 20 people, according to the statement.

The ministry also called on the public to follow its awareness campaigns and register for receiving the vaccine.