Monday evening, Ibrahim Bdour, head of the Health Committee at the National Center for Human Rights (NCHR), said that the return to closures and lockdowns in Jordan depends on the occupancy rates in hospitals.

Bdour told Roya in an exclusive interview, that the number of COVID-19 infections in the country is likely to rise in the upcoming days, noting that the rate of increase in the number of infections has reached a thousand infected individuals each week.

He pointed out that the reasons for the noticeable increase in the number of infections are due to the low rate of societal immunity and the general openness that the country is currently experiencing, in addition to gatherings in parties, markets, schools and universities.

“Right now, the government has no intention of returning to closures once again, but if the occupancy rate in the hospitals increases, the government will return to partial lockdown,” said Bdour.

Jordan recorded 17 deaths and 3,441 new coronavirus cases on Monday.

The government’s daily coronavirus announcement revealed the occupancy rates in hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 patients across Jordan as of Monday, Nov. 15.

The occupancy rates in hospitals in northern region:

-Isolation beds: 20 percent

-Intensive care units: 45 percent

-Artificial respirators: 20 percent

The occupancy rates in hospitals in central region:

-Isolation beds: 18 percent

-Intensive care units: 37 percent

-Artificial respirators: 12 percent

The occupancy rates in hospitals in southern region:

-Isolation beds: 12 percent

-Intensive care units: 17 percent

-Artificial respirators: 19 percent