Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) announced today the registration of 58 new confirmed cases of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in the State of Qatar. Fifty-four (54) of the new cases are related to the cases identified earlier among expatriate workers and most of these cases have already been in quarantine. The other four cases are related to travel contacts. All new cases are receiving suitable care under complete isolation and they all are in stable health condition. The Ministry is expanding the scope of testing for COVID-19 to trace all possible contacts of infected patients. The decisions announced by the Government Communications Office yesterday are complementary to the efforts and precautionary measures taken by the State of Qatar to prevent and limit the spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as the number of cases is expected to increase in the next few days. The Ministry of Public Health recommends following a number of simple, yet effective practices to protect yourself and others from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19):

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze with your sleeve or tissue, and dispose of used tissues in a covered bin. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands before you wash them, especially when outside your home. Avoid close contact with other people, especially anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness and maintains at least one-meter distance between yourself and other people.

The Ministry of Public Health urges the public to avoid social gatherings of more than 50 people and to limit family gatherings as much as possible. Members of the public are also advised to avoid handshakes and cheek-kissing when greeting each other. Instead, people can verbally greet one another or make greeting gestures from distance as a way of helping prevent the spread of the virus.

Source: MOPH