MANAMA—Ambassador Alfonso A. Ver attended the diplomatic briefing on Covid-19 organized by the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 4.
Bahrain’s Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Dr. Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Daij Al Khalifa briefed ambassadors of the different diplomatic missions accredited to the kingdom on the various efforts that it has so far undertaken to combat and prevent the spread of the epidemic.
These included the imposition of travel bans and restrictions to passengers coming from countries, such as China, Iran, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand. For a time, Bahrain’s Civil Aeronautics Authority had restricted flights to and from Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Screening of arriving passengers, which included checking of body temperature and nasal swabs, were strictly implemented, leading to the identification of the majority of the confirmed cases. A special quarantine room was designated at the airport, and specialized hospitals were designated to become isolation centers for those who tested positive of the virus.
To prevent spreading of the virus to children, classes in all levels, including kindergarten, were suspended for two weeks beginning February 26. This became particularly urgent after the identification of the first positive case involving a male citizen school bus driver who recently traveled to Iran.
Bahrain has also canceled the staging of some of its annual exhibitions, including the 16th edition of the Bahrain International Garden Show, originally slated from March 3 to 7. The Ministry of Interior has also issued advisories discouraging the holding of public gatherings, prompting some religious institutions to suspend the holding of services or masses.
Based on statistics published by the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Bahrain, a total of 4,504 individuals have been subjected to testing, with 4,452 negative results and 52 positive cases as of March 4, 12 p.m. Bahrain continues to encourage its citizens and residents, particularly those who have recently traveled to Iran, to subject themselves to testing and has deployed mobile medical teams to go to homes of those who have scheduled their medical examinations through their dedicated hot line 444 and their newly activated online appointment system for Covid-19 testing.
Ver thanked the Ministry for Bahrain’s comprehensive response and transparency of information on the Covid-19 situation as he briefed the ministry of the Philippine Embassy’s efforts in cascading all official information to the 53,000-strong Filipino community in Bahrain. He reiterated his request that the Middle East state also intensify its efforts in informing employers and sponsors of overseas Filipino workers. DFA
Image credits: Bahrain MOFA/DFA