Bahrain ends mandatory self-isolation for all arrivals

Bahrain announced on Wednesday it would end a protocol that required all those arriving in the country to self-isolate at home for 10 days regardless of the outcome of testing, its health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Instead, in the new procedure beginning on Thursday, arrivals will be tested twice, both on arrival and 10 days later, but will be able to end their self-isolation if the first test is negative. The ministry said this change comes as only 0.2% of those tested 10 days post-arrival had tested positive in the period between July 1 and Aug. 16.

Bahrain has recorded 3,482 coronavirus cases and 178 deaths.