Muscat: Dr. Ahmed bin Muhammad Al-Saeedi, Minister of Health, chaired the second meeting on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments related to the
new coronavirus.
The meeting reviewed the precautionary measures taken by the Sultanate and discussed contingency plans enforced at various land, sea, and air entry points in coordination with the Ministry of Health and various relevant authorities.
The minister affirmed the Sultanate’s readiness to confront this outbreak and hopes everyone will cooperate with those concerned, and recommended not to travel to China unless there is an urgent necessity, and those coming from China should adhere to the instructions that are given to them by those involved in all border crossings.
The meeting stressed on the readiness of public health contingency plans at the level of governorates in coordination with various health agencies.
The meeting stressed the readiness and the role of the private health sector to receive any suspected cases of the emerging coronavirus and to coordinate between it and the health institutions of the Ministry of Health.
He said, “Unfortunately, the new coronavirus is spreading rapidly in China and a number of other countries. No cases of the virus have been recorded in the Sultanate until now."
He added, The Ministry of Health has activated health emergency plans since the announcement of this virus, and coordination has been made with all partners on preparedness, including those involved at border crossings. There is also continuous coordination and cooperation between the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and the Health Ministers' Council of the GCC States."
The Minister directed the necessity of joining all efforts between the various institutions inside or outside the Ministry of Health and on the readiness of the central public health laboratories, providing the necessary reagents and providing the necessary training for all medical personnel in order to deal with the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
MOH said about 80 confirmed cases have been reported outside China in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Australia, France, Germany, USA, and Canada, the UAE.
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