Coronavirus: Dubai compiles record of every family to visit outbreak zone

Schools distributed forms on Thursday asking parents to declare their travel history

A Civil Defense member wearing protective suits sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus in the closed shops, and hotels in Najaf, Iraq. AP

Members of the medical team check the temperature of Iraqi men, following the coronavirus outbreak, at the entrance checkpoint of South Mosul, Iraq. Reuters

Iraqi health officials and Civil Defense staff wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus in the commercial markets in Najaf, Iraq, AP

An Iranian woman wearing face mask sits in a bus on a street of Tehran, Iran According to the Ministry of Health, 139 people diagnosed with the Covid-19 coronavirus. EPA

Iranian women wearing face masks walk on a street of Tehran, Iran. According to the Ministry of Health, 139 people diagnosed with the Covid-19. EPA

People wearing protective masks are seen on a street in the centre of the Bahraini capital Manama. AFP

A bus conductor wearing a surgical mask stands in front of a bus station in the Bahraini capital Manama. AFP

Kuwaiti kids wear protective face masks, following the outbreak of coronavirus, during celebrations of the 29th Kuwait Liberation Day. Reuters

A girl wears a mask as anti-government protesters carry banners and shout slogans during a protest in front of the Lebanese Ministry of Health under the slogan 'Our life is not a toy in your hands' in Beirut, Lebanon. EPA

People wearing wearing protective masks walk out of the El-Kettar hospital in the Algerian capital Algiers. AFP

Anti-government protesters carry banners read in Arabic, 'You are the coronavirus, you are the epidemic during a protest in front of the Lebanese Ministry of Health. EPA

Medics walk outside a clinic where the flight crew as well as several people who were in contact with an Italian man who tested positive for COVID-19 in Algeria. AP

A health worker takes the temperature of a man, who returned from Afghanistan, for a medical observation as a preventive measure following the coronavirus outbreak, crossing point at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town. Reuters

A volunteers (L) hands out free facemasks to people as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, in Herat city. AFP

Chinese women wear protective masks as they eat dinner at an open restaurant in Beijing, China. Getty

A Chinese security guard wears a protective mask as he checks the temperature of people entering a residential building in Beijing, China. Getty

A worker inspects a protective mask on the production line at the Mask Factory Co. facility in Hong Kong, China. Bloomberg

A resident of Jongno-Gu wearing a face mask sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea. AP

A South Korean soldier wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 on a street in Daegu, South Korea. AP

A tourist looks on from her balcony at a hotel that was put in quarantine due to a coronavirus infection, in Adeje, Tenerife, Spain. EPA

A woman looks out of a window at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife, Spain. AP

Passengers of the public transport wear a protective mask in Milan, Italy due to coronavirus outbreak. Getty

Civil protection and health workers who wear protective suits and health masks deliver the evening meal at a hotel in Alassio where 34 people are in quarantine. EPA

Workers wearing protective suits walk before they spray disinfectant as a precaution against the COVID-19 at a market in Seoul, South Korea, AP

Families have been asked to declare their travel history to help tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Dubai Health Authority sent a form to parents via schools on Thursday in an effort to build a picture of potential risks.

It asked parents if their children or close relatives have travelled to countries with high infection rates including China, South Korea and Iran in the past 28 days.

"As per the current prevention and control policy of COVID-19 (New Coronavirus), Dubai Health Authority requires you to provide information regarding your history of travel in the last 28 days, please report and update regularly in case of travel," the form read.

Parents were asked if their child or relative returned with fever or flu symptoms or if they had any contact with someone confirmed to have the virus.

Gavin Walford-Wright, chief people, marketing and admissions officer at Taaleem school group, confirmed that it received the “travel history declaration form”.

“It specifically talks about travel history within the last 28 days to China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Singapore or Italy,” he said.

“The form is only required to be completed if the student or a close relative has visited any of the above mentioned countries within the last 28 days.”

Taleem manages 10 schools across the UAE.

“To ensure the well-being of our students, parents and staff we have stepped up infection control measures, such as enhanced cleaning and hand sanitising,” he said.

“Our qualified and experienced nurses have also completed checks around the schools, bringing international healthcare best practice to the classroom.”

A number of other schools in the city have also stepped up awareness efforts to help prevent the spread of the virus among children and families.

The Gulf Model School in Dubai held some health hygiene sessions to sensitise pupils on the impact of new coronavirus.

During morning assemblies, the school leadership outlined measures that pupils could take to reduce the risk of infection including the promotion of better hand washing techniques.

Earlier this month, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the country.

To date, there remain 13 confirmed cases of people with the infection across the Emirates.

In other developments on Thursday, Saudi Arabia introduced a temporary ban on religious visits to the country.

It also suspended entry for tourists from almost two dozen countries with confirmed outbreaks of coronavirus including China, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore and India.