Status/الوضع

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Data shown is as of April 1, unless stated otherwise.
Qatar
- Total cases: 781
- Total deaths: 2
- Total recovered: 62
- Total active cases: 717
- Total in serious/critical condition: 6
- Total cases per 1 million people: 271
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.7
- First recorded case was on February 28.
- Carried out almost 9,000 tests (as of March 18).

UAE
- Total cases: 664
- Total deaths: 6
- Total recovered: 61
- Total active cases: 597
- Total in serious/critical condition: 2
- Total cases per 1 million people: 67
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.6
- First recorded case was on January 28.
- Carried out more than 220,000 laboratory tests across the country (as of March 30).
- Evacuated over 1,700 nationals and "those accompanying them" from countries abroad.
- Opened drive-through testing facility that can service 600 people a day, with priority given to the elderly, the pregnant and those with underlying health problems.

Saudi Arabia
- Total cases: 1,720
- Total deaths: 16
- Total recovered: 264
- Total active cases: 1,440
- Total in serious/critical condition: 31
- Total cases per 1 million people: 49
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.5
- First recorded case was on March 1.
- State authorities seized over 5 million masks that were hoarded by businesses and people.
- Released 250 immigration detainees to help contain the spread of the virus.

Oman
- Total cases: 210
- Total deaths: 1
- Total recovered: 34
- Total active cases: 175
- Total in serious/critical condition: 3
- Total cases per 1 million people: 41
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.2
- First recorded case was on February 23.

Kuwait
- Total cases: 317
- Total deaths: 0
- Total recovered: 80
- Total active cases: 237
- Total in serious/critical condition: 13
- Total cases per 1 million people: 74
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0
- First recorded case was on February 23.
- Brought back more than 2,700 citizens from countries abroad.

Bahrain
- Total cases: 567
- Total deaths: 4
- Total recovered: 316
- Total active cases: 247
- Total in serious/critical condition: 2
- Total cases per 1 million people: 333
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 2
- First recorded case was on February 23.
- Carried out almost 19,000 tests (as of March 20).

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Statistics - as of March 29
- Total confirmed cases: 38,309
- Total confirmed deaths: 2,609
- Total confirmed recoveries: 12,391
- Total active cases: 23,278
- Total open critical or severe cases: 3,206 (14%)
- Average daily number of deaths in past week: 136/day

Some prominent figures who have died from the disease: Mohammad Mirmohammadi (Member of the Expediency Council), Nasser Shabani (Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander), Fatemeh Rahbar (conservative politician and four-time Parliamentarian, died before the start of her fourth term)
Some prominent figures who have contracted the disease: Iraj Harirchi (Deputy Minister of Health), Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani (MP, Qom), Ali Akbar Velayati (Senior Advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei for International Affairs)

Some important dates:
January 26th: Government claims COVID-19 has not and will not spread to Iran
On February 19, the Ministry of Health announced two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city of Qom, which is a center for religious learning in the country. The Ministry later announced that both individuals died. On February 21, new cases were reported in Tehran and the province of Gilan. Parliamentary elections were held to record low turnout despite the risk of spreading contagion.
On March 9, approx. 70,000 detainees are released on medical furlough
On March 13th, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei implies that the virus might be a "biological attack"
On March 19th, March 20th, and March 25th, there were revolts of incarcerated people in Tabriz and in two cities in the province of Lorestan in response to COVID-19 fears and to new lockdown measures introduced in wake of the spread of COVID-19.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Iran - data shown is as of March 29.
- Total confirmed cases: 38,309
- Total deaths: 2,640
- Total recovered: 12,391
- Total cases per 1 million people: 456
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 31
- First case recorded on February 19.
- About 6,000 people are being tested daily (This data is based on an article written on March 14).
- Estimates put the death toll at around 3.5 million by late May, when the outbreak is expected to peak.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Cairo
- Total confirmed cases: 442
- Total deaths: 21
- Total recovered: 95
- Total cases per 1 million people: 4
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0.2
- First case recorded on February 14.
- At least 97 foreigners who visited Egypt since mid-February showed symptoms of, or tested positive for the virus.

Hosted by Noura Erekat and Bassam Haddad
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez
Directed by Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Dublin Statistics - (numbers shown are in for the entirety of Ireland unless stated otherwise)
- Total confirmed cases: 539 (in Dublin)
- Total deaths: 7
- Total recovered: 5
- Total cases per 1 million people: 269
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 1
- First case recorded on February 19.
- 17,992 tests carried out so far, 93% returning as negative.
- Nearly half of all coronavirus cases in Ireland are in Dublin.
- It is estimated that there could be 15,000 cases in Ireland by the end of the month.

Hosted by Noura Erakat and Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez

This podcast takes you to several cities/countries affected by Covid-19 to discuss social, economic, and political challenges facing their societies, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups and on what this pandemic reveals about the human condition (wow, big phrase). Based on personal and incisive conversations with various interlocutors on location, we hope both to learn from others and to provide some solace as we address how we are collectively experiencing and dealing with similar challenges.

We will be speaking with our guests, one or several at a time, via Skype, and will try to have brief, informative, and non-draining calls within 20-30 minutes.

Gaza Statistics
- Total confirmed cases: 9
- Total deaths: 0
- Total cases per 1 million people: 4
- Total deaths per 1 million people: 0
- First cases recorded on March 21.
- As of March 23, only 200 testing kits are available.
- Only about 99 people tested so far.
- Only 3 ventilators per 100,000 in Gaza.
- By contrast, in the US and Israel there are 52 and 40 ventilators per 100,000 people, respectively, which has been deemed vastly insufficient.
- Around 30 hospitals and major clinics, providing an average of only 1.3 beds per 1,000 people.
- While other countries have emphasized the need to wash hands frequently, Gazans are worried about having enough water to drink.
- 90% of the water in Gaza has been deemed unfit for human consumption.
- Almost impossible to quarantine people in Gaza due to population density.
- 113,990 refugees are living in Jabalia camp which covers an area of only 0.54 square miles, making it impossible for people to maintain physical distance from each other, let alone effectively carry out a quarantine.
- In Beach Camp, 85,628 refugees reside in an area of 0.2 square miles.
- Beach Camp has only one medical center and one food distribution center servicing the entire population.
- Schools have been converted quarantine quarters, with 8 people per classroom and about 200 sharing a bathroom.

Hosted by Noura Erakat and Bassam Haddad
Research by Naim Mousa
Production Set by Khalid Namez
Edited by Alicia Rodriguez

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