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Qatar reports new coronavirus case

DOHA, May 2 (KUNA) -- The Qatari Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has reported a new coronavirus case among its nationals to be the second case discovered in the Gulf country since the start of 2016.
In a press statement carried out by the Qatar News Agency (QNA), the MOPH said Monday that a new Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) case has been confirmed for a 40 years old resident works as a camel worker in Qatar.
The man, who neither was in contact with a suspected case nor he has been abroad during the last two weeks, is free from chronic diseases that usually cause immunity suppression, the ministry pointed out.
It elaborated that that the man was admitted to Hamad General Hospital with general symptoms where the routine investigations tested positive for MERS-CoV despite he did not exhibit any respiratory related symptoms.
The ministry assured that the patient currently in stable condition and receives the necessary medical care in the isolation ward according to the national protocol of the infection prevention and control.
"Once the case has been confirmed, the rapid response team of MOPH has carried out extensive search to list all potential contacts with the purpose to check for their possible consistence with the standard case definition of the suspected cases based on the WHO guidelines," reads the statement. "All traced contacts will be monitored over a period of two weeks, while those who develop suspected symptoms will then be subjected to confirmatory laboratory investigation." The ministry advised citizens and residents who suffer from chronic diseases to avoid direct contact with camels and to wash hands with soap and water thoroughly. Also MOPH recommended abidance by respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette with the need to boil camel milk before drinking. (end) nnd.ibi