Virus outbreak: China travellers will be examined before entering Qatar

اندلاع الفيروس: سيتم فحص مسافري الصين قبل دخول قطر

Doha: Ministry of Public Health said it is closely monitoring the “epidemiological situation” regarding the new coronavirus which was first broke out in China and spreading to several countries.

The ministry said no case of infection was reported in Qatar.

The ministry issued guidelines for dealing with the cases of coronavirus and alerted all hospitals in Qatar to report any suspected respiratory infections, especially in travellers returning from the affected countries in a 14-day period of their arrival.

At a meeting called by National Committee for Epidemic Preparation of the ministry, representatives of Hamad Medical Corporation, Primary Health Care Corporation, Hamad International Airport and the medical services of Qatar Airways took part.

The committee issued recommendations that include raising the alert level of the monitoring system and watching out for the suspected cases in coordination with the World Health Organization. Investigative teams will make daily visits to hospitals to ensure that there is no one with symptoms that matches the WHO definition.

The committee decided to apply thermal scanning at Hamad International Airport to all travellers coming from China. Awareness will be raised among travellers about the symptoms of pneumonia, including high temperature, coughing and breathing difficulties. The ministry also advised against unnecessary travel to cities where the virus is reported in China.

“Avoid close contact with animals in the affected areas…Don’t mix closely with people with symptoms of respiratory infections…Keep on washing hands with soap and water,” the ministry said. “…the technical reports that dealt with the clinical and epidemiological manifestations of the emerging virus indicate that it is similar to many coronaviruses that are transmitted from animal to human.”

“The severity ranges from mild to moderate symptoms among the majority of infected people. And symptoms and complications may develop, in people with chronic diseases and immune deficiency, to acute respiratory infection with possible death.”

Rapid response team at the Ministry of Public Health operates around the clock. Hotline numbers: 66740948 and 66740951.

read also: MoPH announces precautionary measures against new coronavirus

الدوحة: قالت وزارة الصحة العامة إنها تراقب عن كثب “الوضع الوبائي” فيما يتعلق بالفيروس كورونا الجديد الذي اندلع لأول مرة في الصين وانتشر في العديد من البلدان.

وقالت الوزارة إنه لم يتم الإبلاغ عن أي حالة إصابة في قطر.

إقرأ أيضاً: وزارة الصحة تعلن عن إجراءات احترازية لمواجهة فيروس كورونا المستجد