Former Minister Walid Al-Maani said that Jordan may have passed the peak of the fourth wave of the coronavirus.

He wrote on Twitter Friday that Jordan recorded 116,996 COVID-19 this week, which is a decrease of 13.5 percent from the number of cases in comparison with last week.

“The PCR positivity rate has decreased from 30 percent to reach nearly 22 percent," he said.

“We may have passed the peak of the wave.”

Also Read: Jordan records 21 deaths and 12,379 new coronavirus cases

Jordan recorded 21 deaths and 12,379 new coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the total number of cases since the beginning of the crisis to 1,553,758. The death toll has risen to 13,629.

Also Read: PCR test no longer required upon arrival to Jordan, home-quarantine reduced to five days

Thursday, the government announced the reduction of the isolation period for people infected with the coronavirus to five days starting from the date of conducting a PCR test without the need for another test after the isolation period ends.

This came during a press conference held by the Minister of State for Media Affairs, Faisal Shboul, and the Minister of Health, Feras Hawari, at the Prime Ministry to announce the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in Jordan.

The implementation of the new mitigating measures will come into effect starting March 1, 2022.

The government also decided that those who come into contact with an individual who tests positive for the virus, will no longer need to isolate themselves.

Additionally, those coming to Jordan will no longer need to conduct a PCR test upon arrival through air, land and sea border crossings.

“We have three weapons to confront the epidemiological situation, the most important and first of which is receiving vaccination,” Shboul said.

Shboul stressed defense orders will remain enforced.

Shboul also revealed that the government will stop announcing the daily COVID-19 report after the current wave ends, and will start issuing the epidemiological report on a weekly basis.

He noted that no PCR test will be required upon attending parties, weddings and gatherings. However, attendees are required to have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

He expressed his hope that these measures will contribute to reviving the economy and attracting investments.

For his part, the Minister of Health Feras Hawari said that “the coronavirus pandemic has not come to an end yet.”

Hawari said that following the gradual lifting of coronavirus measures and students’ return to in-person education, there are more reasons to receive the vaccine.

He continued that there is an expectation that the number of COVID-19 infections will increase with students’ return to schools and universities.

Hawari also noted that a center will be allocated in the Hussein Sports City, starting from the beginning of next week, to vaccinate those aged five and above.

He pointed out that the PCR positivity rate in Jordan on Thursday is the lowest in 20 days.