Kingdom’s coronavirus count reaches 99

AMMAN — Minister of Health Saad Jaber announced that 15 new coronavirus cases were reported in the Kingdom on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in Jordan to 99, including the individual who recovered.

He noted in a joint press briefing with Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management that the 15 cases include five cases from a wedding in Irbid and a case who wasquarantined at a hotel in Amman after testing positive for the virus.

He added that three individuals were infected after coming into contact with an isolated patient infected from someone who arrived in the Kingdom from abroad, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported.

Two of the cases are Iraqis from the same family who came to the Kingdom from abroad. The two cases were taken to isolation after their infection was confirmed.

The new cases also include a person who contracted the virus from his brother, who visited him from Spain, he said, adding that the origin of another case is also being investigated.

One case was recorded at the Royal Medical Services of a person who had come from abroad, and another case was detected at the University of Jordan. Jaber noted that the origin of the case is still under investigation.

Director of the University of Jordan Hospital Abdulaziz Ziadat on Saturday said that the coronavirus case at the University of Jordan is a citizen who checked into the hospital’s emergency room on Friday evening, Petra reported.

The patient had complained of chest pain and was tested, he said, adding that the test results came back positive for COVID-19.

He stressed that the patient was transferred immediately to Prince Hamzah Hospital. For his part, Vice President of the university Ahmad Majdoubeh confirmed that the infected woman does not work, teach or study at the university and does not belong to any of its cadres, according to Petra.

During the briefing, Jaber said that 78 of the total cases are Jordanians, including the individual who recovered, and 21 are Arab and foreign nationals, among them six Iraqi nationals, six French nationals, three Lebanese nationals, three British nationals, two Filipino nationals and one Argentinian national.

According to the minister, while this number “is not very large”, it is a “dangerous indicator which shows that a few of us did not adhere to public health instructions”.

“The reckless few may lead to an increase in the number. Our freedom was taken from us while we were looking for safety, as a result of this disease and the result of some people’s reckless disregard for it,” he added.

Jaber called on citizens to abide by instructions, stressing the importance of maintaining a distance of at least one metre between people and treating everyone “as if they were infected”.

During the briefing, Adaileh said that the government “realises that curfews are difficult, but they are necessary for the preservation of public health and safety”.

“We have to live with the curfew over the coming days and weeks,” he said.

A number of major bakeries will be opened in various areas of the Kingdom, he noted, assuring citizens that bread will be made available through delivery, with details to be announced later. A number of pharmacies will also be opened and a delivery service will be launched for medications.

Adaileh also announced that the government is considering granting special permits to patients who need dialysis.

As of Sunday morning, 45 petrol stations will be opened to provide gas to vehicles of operating entities and permit holders, he said, adding that the stations will operate from 6am to 6pm and that opening more stations will be considered over the coming days.

Liquefied gas transport tanks and gas distribution vehicles will also be allowed to operate, in addition to loaded and empty trucks to assist in the supply of food and goods as of Sunday, he said.

The minister announced that drinking water container vehicles and water transport tanks are also permitted to operate.