Mofeed Digest: September 2024

The following digest summarizes the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles covering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. Mofeed Digest is produced by Mofeed Project Coordinator Serage Amatory.

[MENA | Algeria | EgyptJordan| KuwaitQatarSaudi ArabiaSomaliaSudanSyriaUAE]


MENA

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Syphilis infection prevalence in the Middle East and North Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
E-Clinical Medicine, September 2024
The review identifies 643 studies based on close to 38 million syphilis tests in the 24 MENA countries, exploring, among other factors, the link between COVID-19 the spread of syphilis.

Effect Of Pioglitazone On Inflammatory Response And Clinical Outcome In T2DM Patients With COVID-19: A Randomized Multicenter Double-Blind Clinical Trial
Frontiers in Immunology, 6 September 2024
This study, drawing data from Kuwait and Qatar, evaluates the efficacy of pioglitazone, a strong insulin sensitizer with anti-inflammatory properties, in improving the clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes admitted with moderate-severe COVID-19.

The Association between Self-Reported Long COVID Symptoms and COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories in Jordan and Kuwait
COVID, 12 September 2024
This study examines the association between endorsing COVID-19 conspiracy theories and the prevalence of self-reported long COVID symptoms among adults in Jordan and Kuwait in addition to other Arab countries.

Association Of Depressive Symptoms With Incidence And Mortality Rates Of COVID-19 Over 2 Years Among Healthcare Workers In 20 Countries: Multi-Country Serial Cross-Sectional Study
BMC Medicine, 12 September 2024
This study investigates the association of COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates with depressive symptoms over 2 years among HCWs in 20 countries – including Saudi Arabia and Tunisia –  during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.


Algeria

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Sensitization Against Covid-19 In Algeria: Which Communication Strategies?
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, September 2024
This study analyzes the feedback on the Algerian authorities’ communication strategies in Algeria during the Covid-19 outbreak, to identify the most impactful ones and characterize the population sensitivities. 


Egypt

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Combined Impact Of COVID-19 And Renal Failure On Taste Perception In A Sample Of The Egyptian Population
Journal of Oral Science, 4 September 2024
This study investigates the prevalence and severity of taste impairment among post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hemodialysis patients in a sample of the Egyptian population.

Neuropsychiatric Manifestations Of Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 During The Second Wave In Egypt
Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 12 September 2024
This study examines the neuropsychiatric manifestations in a sample of Egyptian COVID-19 hospitalized patients during the second wave of the pandemic and identifies factors affecting neurological and psychiatric prevalence.

Internet Addiction Among Egyptian Teens During COVID 19 Pandemic
SciBase Critical Care Emergency Medicine, 19 September 2024
This study evaluates the problem of internet addiction and increasing use of smartphone among teen age Egyptian youth during COVID19 pandemic.

Case Series Of Post Covid 19 Rhino Orbito Cerebral Mucormycosis In Egypt
International Journal of Surgery Open, 24 September 2024
This article identifies the clinical characteristics, pathophysiology, and management of a group of patients with rhino Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis infection associated with COVID-19 viral infection.


Jordan

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Knowledge And Attitude Of The Jordanian Community Towards The Use Of Medicinal Herbs During COVID-19 Pandemic: Females Vs Males Perspective Point Of View
Trees, Forests and People, 10 September 2024 (December 2024 Issue)
This paper examines the knowledge and attitudes towards complementary and alternative herbal medicine among the Jordanian population by gender during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Online Experiences Of Pharmacy Practices During COVID-19 Pandemic In Pharmacy Program In Jordan
Proceedings S.Z.M.C [Internet], July-September 2024 (Published 30 September 2024)
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a distance-assembled clinical training program for pharmacy students in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Kuwait

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Detection Of SARS-Cov-2 On The Environmental Surfaces And Its Implications For Pandemic Preparedness
Frontiers in Public Health, 10 September 2024
This Kuwait study, conducted during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, examines if SARS-CoV-2 could be detected in swabs taken from frequently touched environmental surfaces. 


Qatar

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Rising to the Occasion: Qatar’s Pandemic Experience
Journal of Arabian Studies, 23 September 2024
This article examines Qatar’s hosting of major sporting events amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.


Saudi Arabia

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The Flow Pattern Of Neuro-Pediatric Emergency Visits During COVID-19 Pandemic
The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 2 September 2024
This study, analyzing data from Saudi Arabia, examines the epidemiology of neurological cases encountered in a pediatric emergency unit in the  kingdom.

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19: A Comparative Analysis of Pre-Lockdown and During-Lockdown Periods Among Saudi General Population
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 4 September 2024
This study assesses and compares the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic before and during lockdown periods among the general population in Saudi Arabia.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the External Auditor’s Effort and His Opinion on the Firm is Going Concern
WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on BUSINESS and ECONOMICS, 6 September 2024
This study evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the effort of an external auditor and his opinion on the going concern of the firm through an applied study of firms registered in the Saudi capital market.

Association Of Personal And Professional Factors, Resilience And Quality Of Life Of Registered Nurses In A University Medical City In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia
PLOS One, 10 September 2024
This study assesses the resilience of nurses in Saudi Arabia during the corona virus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and examines its influence on their quality of life (QOL).

The Adoption Of Mobile Health Applications By Physicians During The COVID-19 Pandemic In Developing Countries: The Case Of Saudi Arabia
International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 20 September 2024
This study examines the factors that influenced Saudi physicians’ acceptance and adoption of mHealth apps during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology.

Prevalence And Short-Term Clinical Impacts Of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus Among Patients With COVID-19 In Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia
BMC Endocrine Disorders, 20 September 2024
This retrospective study assesses the prevalence of new-onset DM in COVID-19 patients and its impact on the severity of the disease. Adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 during the period from June 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled.

COVID-19 Pandemic In Saudi Arabia: An Epidemiological Analysis Of 2020-2021
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 30 September 2024
This study examines the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the impact of the control measures on the epidemiological trends of the disease.


Somalia

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COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns In Fragile And Conflict-Affected Settings, Somalia
Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 1 September 2024
This study finds that successful roll-out of adult vaccination is achievable even in a fragile and conflict-affected setting, like Somalia, through implementation of a tailored contextualized approach. Key factors include good microplanning, use of digital tools, better population-targeting, bundling vaccines together and delivering vaccination services close to people’s homes.


Sudan

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COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Health Care Providers In Rural Areas Of Northern State, Sudan
Pharmaceutical Research: Recent Advances and Trends, 12 September 2024
This study assesses the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare providers in Rural Areas in the Northern State of Sudan.


Syria

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Immunogenicity And Efficacy Of XBB.1.5 Rs Vaccine Against The EG.5.1 Variant Of SARS-Cov-2 In Syrian Hamsters
Journal of Virology, 4 September 2024
This study compares the immunogenicity and efficacy of the updated XBB.1.5, the original Prototype Wuhan-1, and the bivalent Prototype + BA.5 vaccine against a challenge with the EG.5.1 Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Syrian hamsters.

The Triple Combination Of Remdesivir (GS-441524), Molnupiravir And Ribavirin Is Highly Efficient In Inhibiting Coronavirus Replication In Human Nasal Airway Epithelial Cell Cultures And In A Hamster Infection Model
Antiviral Research, 8 September 2024
This study evaluates the effect of a combination of 3 broad-spectrum antiviral nucleosides on the replication of coronaviruses.


UAE

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Grit And Academic Resilience During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Science of Learning, 13 September
This article, drawing on data from UAE public schools, argues that grit also predicted student outcomes during the challenging period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prevalence Of Burnout Syndrome And Its Associated Risk Factors Among Middle And High School Teachers In The United Arab Emirates During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Advances in Biomedical and Health Sciences, 13 September 2024
This study assesses the prevalence of burnout syndrome and identifies its associated risk factors among middle and high school teachers in the UAE amid the COVID-19 pandemic.