JEDDAH — Qatar has made it mandatory for all — citizens and residents alike — to wear face mask while stepping out of the house, with violators facing jail time and fines of up to $55,000 (20,000 Qatari riyals), according to a report carried by ” Qatar News Agency on Thursday. The move, which comes into effect on May 17 (Sunday), follows a Cabinet meeting which reviewed the latest developments with regard to the pandemic in the country and the recommendations of the country’s health ministry. According to the report, the Cabinet mandated the wearing of face masks “upon leaving the house for any reason” except when “alone while driving a vehicle.” With a population of 2.75 million people, Qatar has reported more than 28,000 coronavirus infections so far. There has been a steady increase in number of daily COVID-19 cases, prompting the government to take stringent measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country. — Agencies