Economic Consequences of COVID-19 in the Middle East and North Africa Region Countries

Abstract

Since the first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, on December 30, 2019, the number of confirmed cases of the disease has increased continuously and exponentially. The event has emerged as a clear threat to global health, such that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared it a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The disease has infected approximately 1,891,000 people and killed around 50,200 in the Eastern Mediterranean region until 29th August 2020.. As COVID-19 spreads globally, its economic consequences are also mounting across all countries. In this perspective study, we briefly discuss the economic consequences of COVID-19 in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region countries.