Qatar halts non-emergency health services

Cairo: The Qatari Health Ministry has ordered private health care institutions to halt non-emergency services, the country's news agency has reported. The move is aimed at focusing efforts on combating the new coronavirus and boosting precautions in Qatar, where a total of 634 cases, including one Covid-19 death, have been recorded.

The non-emergency services include those related to dentistry, dermatology, cosmetic surgery and operations except for emergency cases, according to Qena. Other clinics addressed by the ministry's circular are those of dieting, physiotherapy and alternative medicine, the agency said.

Earlier, Qatar had required private health institutions to be prepared to work along with governmental health facilities if the necessity arises as the country struggles to contain the spread of the highly infectious disease.