Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - 4 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the Kingdom on Tuesday, all imported, bringing the total caseload since the outbreak of the pandemic to 1132, Health Minister, Saed Jaber, announced.

On the new infections, 3 cases belong to Jordanians coming from Saudi Arabia, who are currently staying in quarantine hotels and 1 from Pakistan, Jaber said in a press conference held Tuesday at the Prime Ministry.

15 patients have also recovered in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 882, the minister added.

According to Jaber, 5842 laboratory tests were carried out today, bringing the total number conducted since the start of the pandemic to 385638.

Minister Jaber said that His Majesty King Abdullah underlined "the necessity of preserving the Jordanian achievement as the pandemic has not ended yet and the battle is still ongoing, in addition to the need to continue with fighting the virus with the same strength and determination."

"Many countries have witnessed a second wave of the pandemic and asked Jordan for help as their hospitals were unable to accommodate the increasing number of infections," Jaber noted.

Jaber called on citizens to adhere to public safety measures, prevention, physical distancing, hand washing and sterilizers, in light of resuming operations in many sectors and the gradual opening, which had a great impact in preserving the Jordanian economy.

He pointed out that the total local infections since the start of the pandemic amounted to 504, and that the remaining recorded cases were all imported, stressing that the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom is under control and was handled with high efficiency by medical authorities and stakeholders and teamwork.

In response to a question on reopening airports, Jaber affirmed that "this decision is of a sovereign nature and involves all stakeholders in order to develop a precise plan and criteria to preserve citizens at home."

He explained that countries were classified according to the number of cases and deaths and they are given colors such as green, which enables citizens coming from countries similar to the epidemiological situation of Jordan to enter without a quarantine and they would only be subjected to a laboratory test, while the yellow color are given to countries where the number of injuries is bigger and whose citizens are subject to a week's quarantine in addition to a COVID-19 laboratory test.

With regard to medical tourism, Jaber further explained that medical tourism stimulates the economy and private hospitals that were affected by the pandemic, as it lost a number of patients because Jordan is in a state of high competition with a number of countries in the medical field.

"Jordan is accessible to all Arab patients for treatment, in addition to humanitarian cases, taking into account public safety protocols such as a 14-day quarantine and severe standards to maintain the epidemiological situation inside the Kingdom and protect citizens," the health minister stressed.

Jaqber stated that the number of hospitals that have submitted and passed the strict requirements by the Health Ministry amounted 15 hospitals, to this day, indicating that the ministry is launching an e-platform for health services that includes e-payment and appointment booking.