24 EMASWATI MONITORED FOR CORONAVIRUS

MBABANE – The Ministry of Health is monitoring 24 emaSwati for coronavirus who had visited China.

These people were said to have visited the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Mainland China. Despite that there is no case of the virus detected yet in the country, the ministry is being vigilant in monitoring these people for the illness.

Coronavirus is a zoonotic disease (found in animals) which is usually spread through by droplets (coughing) and unprotected contact with an infected person (touching, shaking hands).

Sanitation

Symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and other flu-like symptoms.
It is still not clear where the disease came from, however, initial cases were all linked to Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan City, China.
The market was closed on January 1, 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection.
The cases in Thailand, Japan and Republic of Korea were all travellers from Wuhan City.

Ministry of Health Director Dr Vusi Magagula confirmed that there were 24 people who were being monitored for the disease. He said 10 had come from Taiwan and 14 from various places in China such as Beijing. 

When questioned why they were not quarantined for assessment until the ministry was satisfied that there were no threats of the virus, Magagula said there was a difference between suspected cases and those who had just come from the country where the disease had originated from.

The director stated that the people had come through various points of entry in the country, including border gates. 

Surveillance

When explaining his point, Magagula articulated that there was no point in quarantining people who were coming from China and surrounding areas.
He said China had 1.2 billion people and if more people could come, there was nowhere they could be quarantined.

Meanwhile, it was earlier reported that the country was screening people for possible cases of the coronavirus at the various ports of entry. 
Through the Ministry of Health and partners, Eswatini is monitoring fever cases at the ports of entry, including two international airports.
Magagula had earlier said there was no cause for alarm as there were systems in place to identify any potential cases through surveillance at points of entry.

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