Two coronavirus cases may be confirmed today


Booking.com	Published Friday, March 6, 2020 Two coronavirus cases may be confirmed today By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Ministry of Health said Thursday that staffers are in the process of treatment and analysis of two suspected cases of coronavirus covid-19. More than 150 persons who may carry the virus maybe have slipped though entry controls and now are all over the country. According to the ministry, the two women are relatives, one was identified as the aunt 52 years-old and the second is her niece of 47-years old. The aunt is living in Pococi, Limón Province her niece is living in Heredia Province. Both are quarantined in their homes. Both women traveled together to Tunisia and Italy. They arrived at Costa Rica on Saturday at Juan Santamaria Airport in Alajuela Province from Italy. However, according to the authorities, they had no symptoms that match the virus at the moment of entry to the country. Both women presented symptoms Tuesday. The ministry continues to search for the remaining persons on that flight. There were 157 passengers plus the plane crew. The cases were classified as suspicious after the medical test of another type of respiratory virus was negative. In other words, health workers have ruled out that the symptoms are due to another type of respiratory virus. The specialists are attending to the patients and performing medical tests to confirm or rule out if it is the first case of coronavirus in the country. Test results are expected to be announced sometime today. According to the ministry, the women are stable in health, so, if the result of the tests yields the confirmation of carrying the virus, the patients will remain in strict isolation, monitoring and control at home. Women relatives living in the same homes do not have any symptoms associated with a respiratory virus. However, all the family members will also remain in quarantine in their house, said authorities. The ministry said that these persons, are not linked to the same person who had medical exams done last week after she also came from a flight from Italy and presented symptoms of the virus. On that case, Coronavirus was ruled out in this case after the medical test was performed. According to medical authorities, four types of coronaviruses are common: human coronavirus 229E, human coronavirus OC43, human coronavirus NL63 and human coronavirus HKU 1. Also, there are other common respiratory viruses. "The country has been preparing for this moment for several weeks, with the goal of safeguard public health, through an articulated work between several institutions," said the ministry in its statement. In February the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on the evacuation of two Costa Ricans from the City of Wuhan in China that took place with the help of the government of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government confirmed that the two women, surnamed Reyes-Pérez and Torres-Pérez remain in quarantine before a trip to Costa Rica can be authorized. The date when both women will arrive in the country is expected to be announced next week. Wednesday, due to the high possibility that a person carrying covid-19 will enter the country, the ministry established new guidelines. According to the ministry, more precautions and changes are needed in public places where there are groups of people, such as churches, public transport, airports, workplaces, tourist sites, mass events, embassies, airports and schools, among others. For example, at the churches or religious organizations, people can not have physical contact during the Masses and should avoiding hand-to-mouth contact, said the ministry. Health authorities called on Roman Catholic priests to avoiding putting the Holy Eucharist in a parishioner's mouths during Holy Communion. Also, parishioners should avoid physical contact in the ritual of greeting of peace, said the ministry. Concerning other places, where people gather, such as tourist centers, parks, schools, clinics, airports, among others, the guidelines call for: - Constant cleaning of restrooms. - Free access to soap and water for the public for frequent hand washing. - Placing signs in visible places with the preventive measures of hand washing and the correct way to sneeze or cough. - Staff must be alert to detect people with fever or respiratory illness. - When detecting people with possible virus infection, those in charge should keep the sick person separated from close contact with other people. - Health authorities should be called if there is suspicion of a person infected with the virus. The complete list of guidelines, in Spanish, can be seen on the ministry's website. The Ministry of Health is in the process of sending to China a donation of medical supplies, which include gloves and 200,000 masks. According to the most current information from the World Health Organization Thursday night, 98,053 coronavirus cases have been reported around the world, and 3,168 patients died. In China, where the virus was first detected, 80,430 cases were confirmed, and 3,013 patients died. The mayor number of cases confirmed outside of China are in the Diamond Princess, cruise liner docked in Japan, 706, six deaths; Italy, 3,858 cases, 148 died; Iran, 3,513 cases, 108 died; South. Korea 6,088, 40 died; the U.S. 209 cases, 12 died; Japan, 361 cases, six died; France 423 cases, seven died; Hong Kong, and Australia, two died; Iraq, and Spain three died. One patient died in Switzerland, U.K., Thailand, Taiwan, The Philippines, and San Marino. In the America Continent cases were confirmed in Chile, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic and Argentina, as well as the United States. Other countries, with cases are: Singapore, Bahrain, Germany, Kuwait, Malaysia, Vietnam, U.A.E., Macao, Oman, Croatia, India, Austria, Finland, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Russia, Sweden, Afghanistan, Algeria, Belgium, Cambodia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Nepal, Norway, Romania, Sri Lanka, Bahrain Kuwait, Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Georgia, Qatar, Iceland, Ecuador, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco and New Zealand. ----------------------- Are you taking precautionary measures to avoid catching the coronavirus? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com