Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in MENA - statistics & facts
In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported the first coronavirus (COVID-19) case that had been positively tested back in late January 2020. The already politically and economically troubled area was put under further strain by the worldwide pandemic. Some of the governments in the region sacrificed valuable time and opportunities due to the evident lack of openness and underreporting of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections. This made it difficult for governments to respond promptly and halt the disease's rapid spread. This resulted in a gap between the forecasted and actual fiscal deficit of MENA governments in 2020.
