MOH has continued its active surveillance of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). This step comes as a proactive precautionary measure within crowded neighborhoods and residential complexes of workers in Makkah and Madinah. The surveillance also covers Dammam, Jeddah, and Hofuf.
MOH teams carry out the intensive active surveillances as part of several measures to address the global pandemic. They aim to reach people at their homes and detect infected cases early, even if they do not show symptoms. The surveillance would help isolate infected individuals early on, and limit the spread of the virus. It would also stop the infection from reaching advanced stages and spare sick individuals from health complications that would require them to stay in a health facility and be provided with medical care. The surveillance comes in line with the government’s directives to preserve citizens’ health.
Through active surveillance, the concerned teams have been able to detect several confirmed COVID-19 cases. Some of the cases showed mild symptoms that would not require hospitalization, while other cases showed no clear symptoms even though they carried the virus. Noteworthy, MOH has plans to expand its activity in more cities and governorates over the upcoming period.
Active surveillance teams are working 24/7. They comprise individuals from various medical specialties, in addition to health awareness and education teams. Several relevant government agencies are also part of the team. Their efforts aim to facilitate the inspection team’s work and provide translation services to deliver awareness messages to the public. They also translate the medical test questions during examinations. These government agencies also work to emphasize the importance of communicating with the 937 Service Center in case of noticing symptoms. Moreover, they inform the public that treatment is provided for free per the Royal Decree.
The specialized medical teams conduct urgent examinations on cases that have been in contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases. They use a mobile medical cart to perform the required procedures. It is equipped with modern medical devices to perform the examination, take samples, and transfer them to labs for tests.
MOH pointed out that these measures are implemented through determining crowded neighborhoods with confirmed cases, then submitting a daily report of the new confirmed cases. The active surveillance aims to raise awareness about the pandemic. It also seeks to promote environmental sanitation by improving public health and applying strict precautionary measures on suspected cases to limit the transmission of the virus. The surveillance also aims to enhance awareness and reinforce preventive readiness in the aforementioned cities and their neighborhoods to limit the spread of the virus. This would happen through the aggregated efforts of all the concerned authorities.