DOHA — Qatar on Wednesday relaxed restrictions aimed at controlling the novel coronavirus, allowing citizens and permanent residency holders to travel outside the country and return at any time, and residents outside the country to return starting Aug. 1.

The government communications office (GCO) said arrivals from low-risk countries are required to take a coronavirus test at the airport and sign a formal pledge to adhere to quarantine at home for a week, state news agency (QNA) reported on its twitter account, citing a statement from GCO.

Travellers from low-risk countries who have obtained COVID-free certificates from an accredited testing centre within 48 hours of travelling will not have to take a test at the airport.

The measures come as the third phase of a four-phase plan to lift coronavirus restrictions starts at the beginning of August.

Qatar has reported 441 new cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 107,871, the Ministry of Public Health said.

Three people died due to complications caused by COVID-19, the ministry added. This raises the total number of virus-related deaths to 163.

Meanwhile, the number of recoveries rose to 104,641 after 450 people recovered in the last 24 hours.

There are 3,067 active cases in the country, the ministry said, of which 551 are in 'acute hospital care'.

More than 4,600 new Covid-19 tests have been carried out in the country, taking the total to 455,798, the ministry said. — Agencies