Bahrain reports national record daily Covid death toll as kingdom's virus surge continues

Bahrain has seen its highest daily death toll since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the country's health ministry saying on Monday that 23 more people had succumbed to the disease in the small island nation.

The number of fatalities more than doubled compared to Sunday, when 11 deaths were reported.

Bahrain, which is populated by some 1.7 million people, has so far registered more than 218,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and over 800 deaths related to the virus.

In an attempt to curb the spike in infections that began mid-May, the Gulf state has suspended travelers from its so-called ‘Red List’ of countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, starting from Monday.

Unvaccinated people coming to Bahrain from other countries must take a Covid-19 test before boarding their flight to the kingdom, and quarantine for ten days after their arrival.

Last week, the country banned people who haven't received both shots of a Covid-19 vaccine from accessing most public venues at least until June 3.

Health officials earlier attributed the recent surge in infections to large gatherings within Bahrain during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Eid holiday.

They also insisted that the deteriorating epidemiological situation had nothing to do with the reopening of borders with nearby Saudi Arabia, as only vaccinated people were being allowed to cross in via the connecting 25-kilometer-long bridge.

A similar ‘vaccine corridor’ has been established between Bahrain and the UAE, allowing immunized travelers from both nations to avoid quarantine when moving between the two states.

Bahrain has a high vaccination rate, with over 40% of the population having received their second shots of the jab more than 14 days ago, according to health ministry figures posted on Sunday. 

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