The UAE has reported a total of 13 COVID-19 cases, including three recoveries.

UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention has issued a fresh, more stringent set of guidelines towards the care and treatment of suspected COVID-19 coronavirus cases, including the addition of six new countries on a travel watch list.

Now, patients who have returned from China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Singapore, and Italy presented with upper or lower respiratory symptoms 'with or without fever' in the last 28 days will need to be placed in isolation. Earlier, only patients with a travel history to China presenting flu symptoms were tested for COVID-19.

A circular issued by the health ministry, a copy of which Khaleej Times has studied, clearly states all individuals who have come in contact with an individual or animal known of strongly suspected to have COVID-19 within 28 days also need to be placed in isolation.

"If an isolation room with airborne precautions is not available, then the patient must be placed in an adequately ventilated single room with a separate bathroom," the circular added.

Furthermore, if the patient displays severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), with no other lab result that explain the illness, he or she must also be placed in immediate isolation. Upper respiratory symptoms include - fever, coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and early symptoms including chills, body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and a runny nose. Meanwhile, SARI symptoms are - a history of fever or measured fever of less than 38 C, cough with onset within the last 10 days, and if the patient requires hosptialisation.

The UAE has reported a total of 13 COVID-19 cases, including three recoveries.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com