Qatar has made wearing a face mask compulsory for everyone who steps outside their home, with violators facing jail time and fines of up to QR200,000.
The move comes as the number of reported novel coronavirus cases in the country jumped by another 1,733 on Thursday, a single-day record for the Gulf state.
Cabinet mandated the wearing of face masks “upon leaving the house for any reason” except when “alone while driving a vehicle,” the Qatar News Agency reported Thursday.
The decision is effective from Sunday “until further notice,” with penalties of up to three years in jail and fines of up to 200,000 riyals ($55,000), it added.
Qatar, with a population of 2.75 million people, has seen a relatively high number of novel coronavirus cases, with more than 28,000 people testing positive.