Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, on Wednesday discussed with Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Wang Kejian, the measures taken to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus in Lebanon.
In the wake of the meeting, Minister Hassan delivered a statement in which he noted the preventive measures taken by the Chinese authorities, especially within the Wuhan region where the epidemic is spreading, stressing that these measures reflect a high level of responsibility.
"The steps that are being implemented in various Arab and international airports are more than good, in addition to the measures being implemented by the World Health Organization and the ministries of health," the Minister added.
He went on to stress that there weren't any Coronavirus cases among the Lebanese citizens present in China, noting that expatriates from China are obliged to cross through a third country, which increases protection measures to counter the transmission of the Coronavirus.
Asked whether the preventive measures in Lebanon were sufficient enough to treat those infected with the virus in case of an outbreak in Lebanon, the Minister explained that there was a unit at the Rafic Hariri Governmental University Hospital that included four rooms in which those infected could be isolated and taken care of in terms of prevention.
"The treatment of the Coronavirus is based on prevention, which is the most effective to protect the patient pending studies en route to a drug discovery," he added.
For his part, the Chinese ambassador explained that he had briefed Minister Hassan on the measures taken in China to terminate the spread of the Coronavirus and the great interest shown by the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party, headed by the Chinese President, to mobilize all the national capacities to address this virus.
"We have taken all the possible measures to limit the spread of the virus in China and prevent it from spreading to other countries, and we are cooperating in full responsibility and transparency with the World Health Organization to uncover studies that determine the means of treatment and prevention," the Chinese diplomat explained.
"We have the full confidence and ability to halt the spread of the virus in China, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and other countries," Kejian added.
"The Chinese embassy is in close contact with the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon, the quarantine center, and the relevant medical authorities, especially at Rafic Hariri International Airport," the Chinese Ambassador explained.
He announced that clear instructions had been circulated to the Chinese community in Lebanon and all travelers from China in terms of cooperating with the Lebanese health authorities, adhering to its directives and promptly reporting any symptoms indicating a suspected illness.
"So far, no Coronavirus cases have been recorded among the Chinese community and travelers from China to Lebanon," Kejian concluded.
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