Venezuelan Minister of Health: No Confirmed or Suspected Cases of Coronavirus (Fake News Campaign)

The Minister for Health, Carlos Alvarado, announced that the epidemiological surveillance system will be extended to national airports and border crossings, as part of preventive actions against Covid-19 coronavirus.

From the headquarters of the Vice Presidency of the Republic, Alvarado indicated that “the epidemiological surveillance system is activated in five international airports; people from China or who have passed through China have been tracked.” Now this epidemiological surveillance has been extended to local flights airports and border crossing points.

In that regard, he reiterated that “there are no confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus in Venezuela.”

The head of the health ministry explained that after confirming the first case of coronavirus in Brazil, the center of emergency health operations and a national biosafety committee were activated in Venezuela, “to study the management of the coronavirus, not only in the hospital centers, but at border crossings points.”

He urged the population to avoid contact with people who have the flu and recommended they visit health centers if the person notices a symptom such as persistent fever and chest pain. He also recalled the importance of handwashing to prevent the spread of the bacteria.

The Covid-19 coronavirus is a disease that originated in China, and has claimed the lives of 2,761 people. “The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported 81,109 cases of coronavirus, 97% located in China, while the rest, 2,918 cases in 37 countries such as Korea, Italy, Japan, Iran, Singapore, United States and Brazil,” explained the minister.

Measures and advice
The Ministry of Health has published respiratory hygiene protocols and measures providing indications to prevent the general spread of influenza or common cold among the population. The most recent of these newsletters includes the protocol that recommends that patients who have the flu drink plenty of fluids, rest and observe if other symptoms occur.

If a citizen has persistent fever, shortness of breath and chest pain, the person should go immediately to the health center closest to his home and comply with medical instructions.

To prevent the spread of the flu or common cold it is also recommended to cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with tissue and throw them in the trash or also do it on the inside of the elbow so as not to contaminate the hands.

Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands, as well as kissing or shaking hands with another person.

Also suggested is washing your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Do not share personal items such as glasses and towels. Ventilate housing, rooms and common areas daily. Clean surfaces and common objects such as bathrooms, toys, phones and handles with common cleaning products. Avoid smoking and avoid burning wood and trash.

Fake news campaign

The health authorities issued a warning about believing and spreading information from unreliable sources different from the official ones on this issue, especially on social networks.

https://twitter.com/MPPSalud/status/1233030472978051073

Today the Ministry of Health twitter account posted a tweet reporting a fake news story launched by a highly influential twitter account “Servicio Publico” (@ServicioPubliVE). This account tweeted that there was a coronavirus cases confirmed in Venezuela allegedly of a Chinese citizen, which is not the case.

Source URL: Alba Ciudad with OT content

Translated and edited by JRE/EF