Covid infections show sharp upturn in Middle East

New Covid-19 cases per day in the Middle East and North Africa since March 1, 2020. Seven-day rolling average, week by week.

Covid-19 cases are rising again in the Middle East and North Africa. Last week's daily average of new infections across the region was running almost 50% above the previous week's figure.

Among the 20 countries monitored, 13 reported increases and in six of those the week-on-week rise was more than 100%:

  Last week Previous week % increase
Saudi Arabia
Morocco
UAE
Kuwait
Bahrain
Israel
Oman
Tunisia
1,022
1,177
2,004
339
398
3,096
72
609
205
351
618
113
138
1,181
29
275
399
235
224
200
188
162
148
121

Figures show daily number of new infections, based on seven-day rolling average

New infections peaked in mid-August when the region's daily average topped 73,000, according to official figures. They then fell steadily for 15 consecutive weeks but gradually levelled off before rising again last week.

The actual number of new infections – averaging just under 18,000 a day last week – is still lower than it was a couple of months ago but the sharpness of the upturn suggests the Omicron variant is beginning to take hold in most of the region.

See spreadsheet for more detailed statistics of new cases and deaths across the region.