COVID-19: Qatar makes face masks mandatory with violators to be fined up to $53,000 or jailed for three years

Qatar's interior ministry announced on Thursday that wearing masks will be mandatory for everyone going outside starting on Sunday, and those who do not comply will be fined up to 200,000 riyals ($53,000).

Violators could also be jailed up to three years, or fined, according to a statement on the ministry's Twitter account.

The statement added that the only exception will be if the person is alone driving in a vehicle.

At a meeting on Wednesday, cabinet mandated the wearing of face masks “upon leaving the house for any reason” except when “alone while driving a vehicle,” the Qatar News Agency reported.

The decision on Wednesday is effective from Sunday “until further notice,” with penalties of up to three years in jail and fines of up to 200,000 riyals ($55,000), it added.

Qatar, with a population of 2.75 million people, reported 1,733 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking their total to 28,272 with 14 deaths.