Public health officials as well as representatives of agencies handling emergency situations are to meet on Thursday to discuss further measures to protect inhabitants from the coronavirus COVID-19, cases of which have been confirmed in many European countries including neighbouring Austria. So far, 80 samples have been tested in Slovakia, all of them turning out negative. At the moment all passengers arriving from Italy to Bratislava Airport will have to fill in a questionnaire, and anybody with symptoms similar to those of the coronavirus will be immediately transported by special ambulance to be quarantined in a hospital's isolation ward. The company Flixbus, which serves bus routes connecting Slovakia to Italy, is monitoring the situation around the coronavirus. "So far we have not been contacted by Slovak public health authorities regarding any special measures. In case this changes, we will adjust accordingly. Of course, we are in close contact with our bus partners and drivers to make sure they have the latest information available at any time," stated PR manager Martina Čmielová for Radio Slovakia International. The Slovak Railway Company told RSI they do not have special measures in place at the moment as there have not been any cases confirmed in Slovakia, but have undertaken some drills to prepare their staff for such an eventuality.
Anybody with question about the coronavirus can contact phone hotlines available non-stop at regional public health offices, at 0917 222 682 or 0918 659 580, as well as via an e-mail address, novykoronavirus@uvzsr.sk.
