From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Pakistan’s first coronavirus patient has “recovered and his tests have now come out as negative”, Sindh chief minister’s spokesperson confirmed on Friday.
“Very happy to inform that the 1st corona virus patient in #Sindh who was being attended to has recovered and his tests have now come out as NEGATIVE,” Senator Murtaza Wahab said in a tweet.
A spokesperson for the Sindh health department said it was confirmed 10 days ago that the patient was infected with coronavirus following which he was kept in isolation where he was being treated.
However, after thrice testing negative for the virus over the past 24 hours, it was confirmed that the young man had recovered. He has showed no coronavirus symptoms over the past 48 hours, the spokesperson added.
Permission to release the now-recovered patient from the hospital was approved and he would be discharged tomorrow evening, the official said.
On the other hand, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah congratulated the patient and his family, according to his spokesperson, and said: “This is our huge accomplishment.
“I congratulate my entire team,” Shah added, according to his spokesperson.
A day prior, SAPM on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza had confirmed the sixth case of coronavirus in Sindh.
In a tweet, he had said: “The patient is in clinically stable condition in Sindh and is being well taken care of.”
Late last month, Pakistan had confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus in Karachi, with Dr Mirza saying they were “being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols” and that there was “no need to panic [as] things are under control”.
‘Do not spread this information’
Dr Mirza had at that time spoken of medical ethics and stressed not to “share information of the patient”.
“I request you that even if you know, do not spread this information,” he had said. “Both of them travelled to Iran recently and I think it is necessary to tell the people that we should not panic.” The SAPM had informed people that a helpline 1166 had been set up for coronavirus patients. “Please don’t hesitate to call the number,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Sindh health department had noted that the 22-year-old patient — Pakistan’s first case — had arrived in an aeroplane from Iran and had a history of travel to Tehran from where he reportedly contracted the virus. He was suffering from coronavirus symptoms while he was in Iran, it mentioned.
The young man and his family had been immediately placed in quarantine at a private hospital on the National Stadium Road and the provincial health department sent a team to inspect his residence and neighbourhood. His condition had reportedly started to deteriorate on February 18 and he underwent a hijama, or cupping therapy, at a local health centre in Iranian city of Mashhad. After that, he suffered from a headache.
He had arrived in Karachi on February 20, indicating that there were chances that the thermal screening machines at the airports for those entering the country may not have worked after all. The machines are supposed to immediately detect higher-than-usual body temperature.
The virus has so far entered 76 countries and claimed more than 3,100 deaths and infecting over 80,000 people around the world ever since it began spreading from the wet markets of Wuhan in China.
As a precautionary measure, the Sindh government had directed all schools, colleges, universities, tuition centres and other educational institutions to remain closed till March 13. The provincial government suspended several schools’ registrations for staying despite orders from the Sindh government.
Agencies add: Number of pilgrims coming in from Iran to Pakistan has exceeded three thousand people on Friday as the threat of coronavirus infections wreak havoc in the neighbouring country. Pakistani authorities on the border have disclosed that all pilgrims making their way to Pakistan from Iran have been kept in isolated, quarantined areas away from the general public.
Government sources revealed that 200 pilgrims made their way into Pakistan yesterday.
Hundreds of vehicles loaded with goods meant for trade are also stranded at the border as trade ties continue to be affected amidst the spread of coronavirus.
Yesterday, all activities at the Chaman border with Afghanistan and Taftan border with Iran remained closed Thursday to avoid the spreading of coronavirus in the country. According to details, Pak-Afghan Transits Trade, NATO supplies and bilateral trade between both the countries remain suspended and only pilgrims have been allowed to cross the border
However, people who are coming from Iran are being kept in quarantine for proper medical checkup, while doctors are conducting a screening of the passengers after the passage of every 48 hours. After the emergence of the sixth case of the coronavirus in the country, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza shared on Friday that so far 790,000 passengers have been screened at various air and land routes of the country for the disease.
The numbers were shared by the SAPM while reviewing the precautionary steps being taken across the country to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. The meeting was attended by federal secretary for health Dr Tauqeer Shah, Executive director of NIH and representatives of the Pakistan Army.
During the meeting, the SAPM also said that adequate measures are in place at all airports and land routes. It was also decided in the meeting that the government will setup Disease Surveillance Response Unit (DSRU) to stop the spread of the epidemic. Dr Mirza directed the officials that an integrated system should be in place for consistent vigilance and quick action against the disease. He instructed the concerned authorities to make sure that the DSRUs should include competent doctors and health experts.
“DSRU will play a critical role to stop the spread of the epidemic,” remarked Dr Mirza.
The meeting was held after Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed sixth coronavirus in the country on Thursday. Taking to Twitter, the SAPM said that the patient “is in clinically stable condition in Sindh and is being well taken care of.”
Meanwhile, chairing another meeting in Islamabad that was attended by representatives of different global organizations, Dr Mirza said the government is using all available resources to protect the masses from coronavirus. He said, according to Radio Pakistan, the federal and provincial governments are working together to ensure implementation of the action plan against the coronavirus.
The SAPM said six cases of coronavirus have so far been confirmed in Pakistan. He said we timely took the necessary steps to contain the virus. The representatives of global organizations appreciated the government’s steps and assured full cooperation to Pakistan to cope with the challenge posed by coronavirus.
