Two coronavirus cases confirmed

TDT/Manama 

Two cases of coronavirus infections were reported in the Kingdom yesterday by the Health Ministry. 

While the first case was that of a man, a school bus driver, the second infected with the virus turned out to be a woman, who was diagnosed at the Bahrain International Airport itself. 

"The infected citizen arrived in Bahrain after a visit to Iran, accompanied by her husband and her sister in law. The accompanying relatives were also moved to isolation as a precautionary measure, after testing negative for the virus," the Ministry of Health tweeted last night, confirming the second case. 

Earlier yesterday, the Ministry of Health has confirmed a patient infected with the Coronavirus (COVID-19), arriving from the Iran, via Dubai, has been immediately transferred to the isolation ward at the Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo Community Medical Centre, located in Salmaniya, and is receiving further treatment.

The ministry added that the patient, a school bus driver, had worked on Sunday, dropping off children at two schools, the Ibn Al Nafees Primary School for Boys, and the Sitra Primary School for Girls, and one kindergarten, Al Qamar Kindergarten. 

The ministry has contacted the families of students who took the bus, and all have been tested to ensure they are free of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

It underlined the schools and kindergarten will be closed for two weeks, in co-operation with the Ministry of Education, as a precautionary measure.

The ministry highlighted that it has taken all necessary measures to ensure individuals who have been in contact with the patient have undergone testing and precautionary quarantine. 

"All family members and individuals who have been in contact with the patient were contacted and tested to ensure they are free of the virus, as well as being placed under supervision for 14 days at a designated quarantine centre for suspected cases."

The ministry outlined that the infected individual arrived at Bahrain International Airport on 21 February, from Iran, via Dubai, with no symptoms, noting that the patient’s symptoms appeared a few days later. In line with established public health procedures, the ministry has contacted all passengers on the same flight for medical testing.

The ministry has called upon all citizens and residents who are experiencing symptoms of the Coronavirus COVID19, including high temperature, coughing and difficulty breathing, or those who have travelled or had close contact with anyone who has travelled to countries with high infection rates to isolate themselves at home, call 444, and follow the instructions given by the medical team. See Page 2