STRICT VIGIL ON CORONAVIRUS

The Ministry of Health on Sunday reviewed latest developments on the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) at the ministry’s headquarters. The meeting presided over by Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health, was attended by a number of under-secretaries, directors-general of health services, directors of hospitals in various governorates along with senior officials. global situation The meeting addressed the measures taken in combatting the coronavirus and reviewed the global situation, where the World Health Organization has classified this disease as a public health emergency of international concern. The ministry is continuing to support health institutions by providing required devices and cadre which would enhance their capabilities in handling any detected cases. Activation of public health plans in all government and private health institutions, provision of required lab assistants in the public health laboratories, raising public awareness on this virus, as well as activating emergency plans at land, sea and air entry points have also been discussed during the meeting. The ministry urged all citizens and residents to follow good health practices while sneezing, coughing and to rely on information from official sources only. FLIGHTS SUSPENDED Following the directives of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA), Oman Air suspends all flights to and from Guangzhou, China, effective from Sunday due to novel coronavirus spread. Additionally, acceptance of bookings to and from Guangzhou has been suspended. “The safety of our guests and employees remains our highest priority. We apologise for any convenience caused by this action.” All guests are advised to monitor Oman Air website and official social media channels for further updates. PRECAUTIONS The Ministry of Social Development has told the owners and managers of nurseries to take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of children in the light of the new coronavirus outbreak, the statement from the ministry said. The ministry urged parents not to bring their children to the nursery in case they suffer from symptoms of high temperature, cold, cough, pharyngeal congestion and difficult in breathing, stressing on the need to provide sterilisation devices for children and the staff of the nursery inside the building. “It is necessary to ensure that hands are washed with soap and water in a proper way for both children and staff. Parents are not allowed to enter nursery building and only to drop or receive their children from outside”, the statement added. It also told the nurseries not to accept children from the countries where the virus has widespread or children who had travelled to these countries during the past six months, unless recent medical examinations are officially submitted, stressing not to accept training for any Omani or non-Omani kindergarten staff without a medical examination approved by the Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, China ramped up measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic and shore up an economy hit by travel curbs and business shut-downs on Sunday as the first death from the illness was reported outside the country. A 44-year-old Chinese man from the central city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the epidemic, travelled to the Philippines and died on Saturday in a hospital in Manila, the Philippines Department of Health said. Some 304 people have died in china, the country’s National Health Commission said on Sunday. Infections in China jumped to 14,380 as of Saturday, after their biggest daily rise, the commission added. At least another 171 cases have been reported in more than two dozen other countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Britain.