MUSCAT — With 1,176 new cases of the deadly coronavirus during the last 24 hours, the number of active infections in Qatar reached 17,979, health officials announced on Tuesday.

A total of 1,545 people recovered from COVID-19 in Qatar, bringing the total number of recoveries to 71,501.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus death toll in Qatar stands at 99.

Seventeen people were admitted into ICU facilities in the country in the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of ICU patients to 225, according to the ministry.

The country's first case was confirmed on Feb. 27, but the number of cases began to rise more steeply from mid-March onwards, beginning with the announcement of 238 new cases in a single day on March 11.

Many of the cases are believed to be within crowded labor camps for migrant workers, according to media reports. As well as implementing standard restrictions on contact including closing shops and stopping Friday prayers, Qatar also locked down the “Industrial Area” where many migrant workers are confined. — Agencies