Bahrain’s health ministry on Monday reported 28 deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily in the small island nation which has seen a surge in coronavirus cases to record levels.

Last week, the Gulf Arab state restricted access to most public venues to immunized people after the spike in infections, which authorities, mostly blamed on large gatherings during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and Eid holiday.

Bahrain, a country of 1.7 million people, late on Monday reported 2,8000 new COVID-19 infections to take its tally to more than 220,800 cases. It has reported a total of over 840 deaths.

It registered 3,177 new infections the previous day.

Earlier this month authorities said they would expand the vaccination campaign to include adolescents aged 12 – 17.