Virus preventive measures top-notch

TDT | Manama

The World Health Organisation’s praise of Bahrain’s Covid-19 preventive measures are the direct results of Kingdom employing strict and dedicated efforts as well as maintaining transparency, said a top official citing the latest WHO report, which praises Bahrain’s overall comprehensive approach towards combating the spread of the virus. “The positive WHO report is a direct result of Bahrain’s intensive epidemiological monitoring, precautionary measures, advanced medical practices, quarantine and isolation regulations, public awareness campaigns, and travel restrictions,” said Lt. Col. Dr Manaf Al Qahtani, the Infectious Diseases Consultant & Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and Member of the National Taskforce for Combating Covid-19. Turning out crucial in this effort, Dr Al Qahtani said, was the “support offered by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister for all measures taken against the Coronavirus (COVID-19).”

Al Qahtani commended the efforts of the National Taskforce to Combat Coronavirus, headed by Lt.-Gen Dr Shaikh Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, and the Ministry of Health, which have together implemented precautionary measures directed at containing Covid-19.

He said team Bahrain exhibited dedicated, cohesive efforts to overcome the challenges presented by Covid-19 by increasing healthcare capacity and undertaking preventative action geared towards safeguarding the wellbeing of the Kingdom’s citizens and residents.

Covid-19 can be pushed back

Meanwhile in another statement, yesterday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the epidemic can be contained and controlled with a concerted response by all the world’s governments. “We are calling on every country to act with speed, scale and clear-minded determination,” the WHO’s director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told a briefing at the UN health agency’s Geneva headquarters. Tedros voiced concern that “some countries have either not taken this seriously enough, or have decided there is nothing they can do”. He added: “This is not the time to give up. This is not a time for excuses. This is a time for pulling out all the stops.” There is now a total of 92,943 reported cases of COVID-19 globally, and 3,160 deaths. In the past 24 hours, China reported 120 cases. Most cases continue to be reported from Hubei province. Outside China, 2075 cases were reported in 35 countries.