Doha: Qatar has conducted more than 3,000 tests on people coming from abroad and inside Qatar for coronavirus and has found 12 confirmed cases, health officials said during a press conference held today at the premises of Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
The officials further said that there is no need to panic or fear as none of the cases are from the community and all of them are from the people evacuated from Iran on a special chartered plane. They were all kept in quarantine immediately after their arrival in Doha and none of them had any contact with community members.
The officials attending the conference were Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani. Director of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Dr Hamad Eid Al Rumaihi, Director, Department of Health Protection and Prevention of Transitional Diseases, and Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, Head of Infectious Diseases Division, Hamad Medical Corporation.
“There are no cases of coronavirus reported from the community, but there may be undetected cases, chances of which are very low,” Dr Muhammad Al Thani said.
The officials further urged public to corporate with health authorities and to present them to the HIA clinic or to a Health Centre if they develop symptoms or has travelled from an epidemic country.
Regarding the shortage of masks and sanitizer in private pharmacies and supermarkets, Dr Al Khal said that the “Ministry is working to provide masks and sterilization materials in greater quantities to the pharmacies in the coming days,” and added that there is no shortage of medicines in the local market.
“We monitor the condition of patients in isolation and we can confirm that 80% of the cases do not deteriorate. We examine them 3 times before confirming that they have recovered and they will undergo 3 laboratory tests,” the officials added.
They cautioned people against rumors on social media and urged everyone to follow official channels for correct information.