Damascus, SANA – Director of the Contagious and Terminal Diseases Department at the Health Ministry Dr. Hazar Faroun said that no cases of Coronavirus have been registered in Syria, and that the patients examined at hospitals had nothing beside normal seasonal flu and respiratory infections which are common in winter and their rates are within the normal limits.
Dr. Faroun said in a statement to SANA’s reporter that the similarity between the symptoms of flu and the Coronoavirus are causing people to become suspicious and panic, noting that Coronavirus infection is identified via a specific lab test conducted at a special lab set up the Ministry, and so far no cases have been registered.
Director General of the General Authority of Damascus Hospital Dr. Samer Khedr confirmed that there are no patients with cases of Coronavirus in the hospital, and that the claims regarding that which had been posted on social media pages are baseless.
She noted that the Ministry is still carrying out strict screening measures at border crossing points and airports, taking the temperature of arrivals and conducting tests for suspected cases, particularly for people coming from China and East Asia who fill out a form containing their details, and the Ministry follows up on their health status for 14 days, which is the incubation period for the virus.
In a similar statement to SANA, Director General of the General Authority of Damascus Hospital Dr. Samer Khedr confirmed that there are no patients with cases of Coronavirus in the hospital, and that the claims regarding that which had been posted on social media pages are baseless.
Dr. Khedr said that the cases which were admitted to the hospital are normal seasonal flu cases which increase during winter, adding that the necessary treatments are provided to these patients routinely.
He clarified that yesterday, a 40-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with a severe case of seasonal flu, and according to precautionary measures, the patient was kept at the hospital to receive the appropriate treatment and mentor his health status.
Hybah Sleman / Hazem Sabbagh