Thursday, Dr. Marie Greta Roy Clément, the Minister of Public Health in the presence of Dr. Lauré Adrien, Director General of the Ministry, the Director and executives of the Department of Epidemiology, Laboratories and Research, the Director of the National Laboratory of Public Health, the the Director of the Communication and Public Relations Unit (UCRP), of executives of other central directorates of the Ministry, of representative of the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Ministry of Agriculture organized a coordination meeting and a technical meeting, on the Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified by the Chinese authorities for the first time in the city of Wuhan (11 million inhabitants), in Hubei province, China since December 2019 and which has so far affected 1,300 people and caused 41 deaths (report January 25, 2020).

During these meetings, instructions were given to the various heads of the departments present, concerning the Ministry's surveillance and communication activities in relation to the new Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Surveillance and communication strategies at the country's entry points will be strengthened.

After these two important meetings, the Ministry activated its alert system through the Department of Epidemiology, Laboratories and Research in order to prepare for a possible import of 2019-nCoV in Haiti.

The Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) confirms that there is no case of the new Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Haiti and that there is no immediate risk of introduction of this virus into the country. The virus was also not detected in the Caribbean region according to the latest information from the Caribbean Public Health Agency released on January 23, 2020.

It should be noted that the hygiene measures recommended to avoid being contaminated under any circumstances are washing hands with soap and water and avoid touching the eyes, mouth and nose which constitute entry points for the virus.

HL/ HaitiLibre