The Ministry of Health (MOH) has created a new webpage for the raising people's awareness of the novel Coronavirus disease and all its updates. Through these steps, MOH aims to identify the disease, and provide the community and concerned persons with the updates of this disease and the potential prevention ways.
This new webpage, launched by MOH on its official website:
http://www.moh.gov.sa, included a digital counter, and a map showing the total cases and the infection sitesthroughout the Kingdom. The site also provides subtitles, including an overview of the novel Coronavirus, frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the disease, media statements, news, video links, social media websites, key websites such as the World Health Organization (WHO and others.
According to the new webpage, Coronaviruses constitute a big family including viruses that can cause common colds, and in some cases can cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Most cases of infection with this virus are simple. However, Coronavirus, which has recently appeared, is considered a new one that we do not yet know a lot about its characteristics and ways of its transmission. MOH is working currently alongside with WHO as well as the international experts to learn more about it.
Based on the cases discovered up till now, the symptoms have included fever and cough, that may be accompanied by suffocation and difficulty in respiration. The symptoms may worsen to include acute and fatal respiratory disease.According to the limited information which is available so far, there is no yet accurate scientific evidence identifying the way through which the virus can be transmitted from one person to another. But, it is likely to be similar to the other kinds of Coronavirus, which includes the direct contact with patients, direct transmission through droplets expelled from the patient during coughing and sneezing or indirect transmission through touching surfaces and devices contaminated with the virus, and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes.There is no vaccine nor medicinecurrently available for this novel virus. While health care is provided to the infected cases through alleviating symptoms and working on treating the complications.
MOH is harnessing all its potentials and expertise to observe this disease, know the ways of its transmission and protection, and provide the integrated health care for the infected persons. The MOH also collaborates with WHO and a number of international specialized medical centers in gathering information about the disease.
It is worth mentioning that MOH, since detecting the first case infected with Corona, it has proceeded to communicate with experts inside and outside the Kingdom as well as WHO. Furthermore, it invited experts from Columbia University to participate in the field and environmental survey; in an endeavor to access to scientific results contributing to identifying and knowing more about this disease and ways of its transmission to people. MOH has further invited the relevant experts from Canada, USA and WHO, to review all procedures carried out by MOH, including visiting hospitals and patients.
Within the same vein, MOHis to keep on allowing all to know the updates based on professionalism and transparency, as well as announcing the confirmed infected cases after diagnosis. Finally, it has called everyone to follow on the updates through the site designated for that purpose on the MOH portal, or by contacting the toll-free number: 8002494444 or via the MOH social media means.