A new coronavirus is present in Asia so Costa Rica has activated a protocol in case any cases are brought here by tourists or nationals who have been abroad in Asia. Anyone who has been in China, Thailand, Japan, or South Korea recently and is suffering from respiratory symptoms should seek medical attention and report the travel to the doctor.
The Ministry of Health’s protocol includes informing health professionals about the virus as well as following up on cases that may arise in the country, as it did with previous epidemiological alerts, such as SARS and influenza. If a case is detected, isolation will be coordinated and there will be a strict follow-up of all people the person had contact with.
The general public should take normal precautions like frequent hand washing, cooking meat and eggs properly, avoiding contact with people with respiratory symptoms, and covering coughing and sneezing.
There have been 224 new cases reported in China, two in Thailand, one in Japan, and one in South Korea. Three deaths have been reported.
