A coronavirus surge is overwhelming hospitals, leading doctors to tell families to care for sick loved ones at home instead. Health workers fear New Year's parties could have led to further spikes.
The coronavirus pandemic has done what even war did not — bring Jordan's vital travel industry to a halt, and with it, the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers.
Even with stringent lockdowns, the coronavirus has spread through migrant communities in some Middle Eastern countries where foreign workers live in cramped quarters.
Giving to the poor is an essential part of the holy month, which began Friday, and with so many people thrown out of work, observers say it's particularly needed now.
Iranian officials say new coronavirus case numbers and deaths are lower than before, but they urge for an end to sanctions under these hard circumstances.
Turkey is one of the hardest-hit countries in the Middle East, often reporting 4,000 or more new COVID-19 cases per day. The government hopes short-term stay-home measures will curb the outbreak.
Although people fleeing war or humanitarian crises know about the dangers of COVID-19, many are also worried about being persecuted if the disease spreads in their communities.
The Middle Eastern kingdom says 26 people tested positive for the virus after the large gathering, reportedly including a guest who flew in from Canada.
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