MINSK, 22 January (BelTA) – Belarus' airports have increased screening and quarantine measures, BelTA has learned from the website of the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus.
Belarus' Healthcare Ministry is following up on the new fast-spreading coronavirus and reinforcing preventive measures to keep the new virus away from Belarus. The specialists of the agency are working to prevent the disease among those who enter Belarus from the areas affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. With the help from tour operators the experts are raising Belarusian travelers' awareness of the disease.
“Minsk National Airport is undertaking complex measures to timely prevent the virus from reaching Belarus. The airport has implemented thermal screening and quarantine procedures of passengers arriving from the countries affected by the virus,” said the Healthcare Ministry. The experts of the Belarusian National Research and Practical Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology are constantly monitoring the epidemic situation in the world and are prepared to identify the infectious agent according to the WHO's guidelines.
On 31 December, the Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of unusual pneumonia cases in the city of Wuhan. On 7 January Chinese doctors identified the infectious agent, the 2019 nCoV coronavirus. All the new unusual cases of pneumonia were subject to laboratory testing. China is taking measures to improve the technology to identify new cases more promptly. On 21 January there were 222 confirmed cases of 2019 nCoV virus contagion, with the majority concentrated in China.
The WHO has sent out guidelines to hospitals all around the world, describing preventive measures and methods of tackling the infection. All countries have reinforced the health control of the travelers arriving from China. With the Lunar New Year approaching at the end of January, the number of Chinese holiday-makers will dramatically increase as they travel to, from and throughout China. Experts fear this might spread the virus more widely. Travelers are advised to stay away from crowded areas, avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections and wear masks if possible. Besides, the WHO recommends regular hand washing and
thoroughly cooking meat and eggs due to the concerns that the infection might have originated from the meat of sea or land mammals.
Coronaviruses include more 30 types that were first identified in 1965. They affect people, domestic animals, pigs, cattle and poultry and might damage the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems.
The WHO announced it would convene an expert panel on 22 January, which would determine whether the fast-developing pneumonia outbreak caused by the new coronavirus should be declared a global health emergency and draw up the necessary guidelines. Only the countries affected by the virus were invited to participate in the panel.
