The situation as it develops in relation to the disease COVID-19 in China was discussed in the afternoon in a telephone conversation held by the Minister of Health, Michalis Hatzipantela, and the Director of the WHO for Europe, Hans Kluge.
According to an update from the Ministry of Health, it was decided to continue communication within the next few days for joint actions with the EU member states. with the disease COVID-19 in China and it was decided to continue communication within the next few days for joint actions with the member states of Europe”, reports the Ministry of Health.
Meeting by the epidemiological team< /b>
It is recalled that earlier the Ministry of Health announced the convening of an extraordinary meeting with the members of the National Advisory Committee, on Monday January 2, 2023, to evaluate the epidemiological data.
In statements at the Famagusta General Hospital, the Minister of Health, and answering a related question, the Minister replied that “we are concerned about the fact that China has opened the borders and many people will travel around the world”. “It is an issue that has been troubling us at the Ministry of Health since yesterday,” he said.
We thought, he continued, that “in these days we would have a bit of peace with the coronavirus and we would focus on hospitals and infections, but it seems we have to look at this issue as well. I spoke this morning with the Advisor of the Ministry of Health regarding mutations, who informed me that the mutation detected in China has been detected in our country since the end of August”.
So, said the Minister of Health “at this moment we should not worry but at the same time we will not be complacent. Today or tomorrow I will ask to speak with the Regional Director of the World Health Organization to find out what other measures are being taken by various countries of the European Union, while we are planning a meeting with the Scientific Advisory Committee on January 2nd to see all the data”.< /p>
He also noted that he does not want to hold the meeting today “so as not to panic the world. In the next 2-3 days we will analyze all the data to give scientists the opportunity to be informed”.
Asked to state whether shortages of antibiotics and antitussives have also been recorded in Cyprus, given the unprecedented wave of respiratory infections throughout Europe, Mr. Hatzipantela said that “there are shortages worldwide, not only in our country. But we are always in close communication with the officials of the Ministry of Health and sometimes there are personal interventions by me or officials in other countries”.
He also said that he will ask the competent officials to “report if there are any deficiencies and in case there are any, I will also talk to my counterpart in Israel, who helped us again, but also to my counterparts in other countries”.
Asked to state whether there will be a meeting in the European Union at the level of Ministers of Health, Mr. Hatzipantela said that “in the morning officials of the Ministry of Health are taking part in a meeting under the umbrella of the EU and at the end of it I will be personally informed by them. There is no other information for a meeting at the level of Ministers of Health,” he said.
“Need to coordinate national responses to cross-border health threats”
At the same time the Commission's General Directorate for Health and Food Safety, following a meeting that took place today on the subject of the Covid-19 situation in China, expressed the need to coordinate national responses to cross-border health threats.
In particular, In a tweet, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety said: “Coordinating national responses to serious cross-border health threats is vital. Today, the EU Health Security Committee met to discuss the situation of COVID-19 in China with the Member States of the European Union/European Economic Area. We must act together and we will continue our discussions”.
