The Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) has issued a circular obligating all healthcare providers to ensure that anyone suspected of having contracted the coronavirus (NCoV) be quarantined properly and be not allowed to leave the premises to avoid further spreading of the virus.

This circular applies to both private and public hospitals, according to reports in Arabic media. Hussein Al Rand, Undersecretary for Health Centres and Clinics at Mohap and Chairman of the National Committee for the Implementation of the Provisions of International Health Regulations and Prevention of Pandemics, has been quoted as saying that all hospitals and medical centres must follow all the normal procedures implemented except for those cases that may be coronavirus.

The Mohap in its tweet on Feb. 1 had confirmed that since the Coronavirus outbreak in China, only five cases have been detected in the UAE and everyone who may have come in contact with the five patients have been screened for the coronavirus and been cleared.

The Ministry had earlier issued recommendations and measures to take when conducting business meetings or interacting with visitors from China. These include avoiding direct contact and observing good hygiene standards.

Two days ago, UAE’s Ministry of Education had also published new guidelines for schools and educational institutions to follow with regards to the coronavirus outbreak, in case any student or staff member returned from China during the past 14 days.

According to the ministry any student, member of the educational or administrative staff, any employee of the educational institution, and any of their family members who had returned from China, regardless of the presence of symptoms, must be excused from school for a period of 14 days from the date of arrival.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has climbed toward 500 as confirmed cases worldwide reaching upwards of 20,00, according to the World Health Organisation.