There are now nine confirmed cases in Iceland of COVID-19—better known as the coronavirus—and 300 people remain in home quarantine, RÚV reports. All but one were passengers on a flight from Verona, Italy who arrived in Iceland last Saturday, and the ninth was a recent arrival from Austria.
As reported, some 300 Icelanders have been placed in home quarantine for 14 days due to being recently arrived from high-risk areas elsewhere in the world.
However, Fréttablaðið reports that there have been examples of Icelanders deliberately ignoring quarantine orders and heading out into the general public anyway. We cannot emphasise enough that this is something you absolutely should not do.
It is relatively easy to avoid catching coronavirus. To prevent transmission or contact with the virus, the cardinal rule is to wash your hands frequently before eating and after touching common surfaces, and avoid touching your face. If you must sneeze or cough, do so into the crook of your elbow or into a tissue. It also naturally follows that you should avoid contact with sick people.
Further, if you have been to a high-risk area for the virus recently, or been in contact with anyone who has, you should monitor your health closely. High risk areas include China, four provinces in Northern Italy (Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmont), South-Korea, and Iran.
If you begin to display symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days of such contact, you are urged to call 1700 from an Icelandic phone number or +354 544 4113 from any other phone, where a health care professional will give you further information and guidance. The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and aches in the bones.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
