3 new cases of COVID-19 detected; current patient numbers drop to 99

AMMAN — Three new coronavirus cases have been recorded in Jordan, bringing the total caseload to 447, Minister of Health Saad Jaber announced on Sunday.

During a press briefing at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management, Jaber said that the new patients include two truck drivers, one of them confirmed to be infected with the virus at the border, and a driver who entered the Kingdom on Saturday.

The third patient is a five-year-old girl who contracted the virus from her parents, who are currently receiving treatment at Prince Hamzah Hospital, he said, noting that the girl had previously tested negative.

Five individuals have recovered, including three at Prince Hamzah Hospital and two at Queen Alia Hospital, while 99 patients are currently receiving treatment in hospitals.

A total of 2,430 tests were conducted on Sunday, the minister said.

Commenting on the “discrepancy” in the announced numbers of patients who are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, the minister said that figures include the non-Jordanian drivers who were tested at the Jordanian borders and chose to return to their countries. They are registered among the Kingdom’s coronavirus cases because they were diagnosed on Jordanian land.

He added that the recoveries occasionally show positive results as well, highlighting that the reason for this phenomenon has not yet been found. This does not mean that these individuals are infected, he said, noting that they are transferred to hospital for precautionary purposes.

He said that these individuals are not considered new cases but are regarded as patients who are receiving treatment in hospitals.

The five-year-old girl was at the hospital and acquired the infection while she was in the hospital, which also contributes to a “discrepancy” in the numbers being announced, he said, stressing that the figures are “transparent and accurate”.

During his remarks, the minister said that 700 healthcare centres across the Kingdom on Sunday began providing regular vaccines for children, as well aspremarital blood testing.

The Kingdom’s epidemiological condition is “very good”, he said, adding that “our duty now is to revive the country’s economy, as well as to protect our health”, noting that the government may reverse steps to ease restrictions if the outbreak worsens.