Jordan MPs talk measures against coronavirus, outbreak developments

AMMAN — During a monitoring session on Sunday, lawmakers discussed the government's response to the novel coronavirus, among other issues.

Speaking during the session, Health Minister Saad Jaber said that the government has prepared a plan to deal with Covid-19 (coronavirus). Steps outlined in the plan include banning gatherings at universities, schools and places of worship if the virus reaches the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Jaber added that there are currently 5 million medical face masks in stock in Jordan. The government has placed restrictions on the export of masks and has permitted three factories to produce two types of masks. According to the minister, the factories are expected to produce the masks at a rate of 150,000 per day.

The minister also announced that a quarantine centre at Al Bashir Hospital for arrivals from infected areas will be opened, in addition to another 33-room centre with 100 beds. Other areas to be made into quarantine locations include a building at the Prince Hamzah Hospital, 37 rooms at a hotel and a wing of Queen Alia International Airport.

MPs, under the agenda item "other matters", also went over a Lower House committee report on the increase in electricity bills, which is expected to be ready on Wednesday.

Also during the session, MP Haitham Zayadin inquired about the Central Bank of Jordan's (CBJ) support to small- and medium-sized projects.

In response, CBJ Governor Ziad Fariz said that the ceiling of the programme stands at a value of JD1.2 billion to annually benefit more than 1,000 projects nationwide and provide some 11,000 jobs.

MPs also discussed the risk of King Talal Dam overflowing.

They also reviewed means to deal with university student loans.

The Council of Ministers also discussed procedures to deal with the coronavirus and the latest developments on the outbreak.

In the council's session, Jaber briefed ministers on the situation, stressing that the Kingdom is free of the virus and that the ministry has adopted several precautionary measures to combat its spread, Petra added.

He noted that work is ongoing to transfer quarantine cases to the hotel the ministry has rented, adding that the hotel is "entirely isolated" and has been equipped with medical personnel to work round-the-clock to monitor the individuals in quarantine.