-Total cases rise to 2,754
-Recoveries stand at 131
-109 quarantined at Mardan’s UC Manage released after negative tests
-Authorities focused on protection gears for medical staff
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Saturday have reported 40 deaths from novel coronavirus while the total number of cases has surged to 2708.
According to details, 1087 patients have been tested positive for the epidemic in Punjab, 830 in Sindh, 372 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 193 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 175 in Balochistan, 75 in Islamabad and 12 in Azad Kashmir.
So far, 130 patients have recovered in the country while 10 are in critical condition.
In an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, the National Coordination Committee (NCC) has decided to extend the countrywide lockdown till April 14.
Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar informed that goods transport carrying food will remain open, while medicines will be available for the general public in all four provinces of the country.
Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pak Army has said that the country is not in a position to impose total lockdown for an indefinite period of time. He said that the government is taking timely steps and all possible actions are being taken on a daily basis as per the changing situation. The coronavirus has changed the global environment, he added.
Major General Babar Iftikhar appealed to the public to stay home and stay safe. He said that the Pak Army is providing full support to the provincial governments, and is stationed all over the country.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed not to conceal any information regarding the number of coronavirus patients at any cost.
Imran Khan while directing the provinces to share their data with the NCOC said concealing hiding any information related to the pandemic would be like jeopardizing the national security. The premier also thanked almighty Allah that the coronavirus situation in
Pakistan is not disturbing and is under control due to the timely measures being taken by the government and institutions.
Punjab reported 18 more cases of novel coronavirus on Saturday, taking the provincial tally to 1087.
According to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, 26 districts of the province have recorded COVID-19 cases thus far. It said all confirmed patients are under treatment in isolation wards.
They are being provided with all necessary facilities, the department said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier today visited the 1000-bed field hospital set-up in Lahore’s expo centre to facilitate coronavirus patients and suspects.
The premier was accompanied by Federal Minister’s Fawad Chaudhry and Shafqat Mehmood along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on poverty alleviation and focal person for PM’s Ehsaas initiative Sania Nishtar along with SAPM on Health, Zafar Mirza and Usman Dar accompanied Prime Minister Imran Khan on the trip.
The field hospital at Lahore expo center for COVID-19 patients was established within nine days. The hospital is meant to isolate and treat confirmed patients of the coronavirus in a safe and secure environment.
Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Law Murtaza Wahab has said nine more patients of the coronavirus have tested negative and recovered their health.
Taking on Twitter Saturday Murtaza Wahab said, the number of the recovered patients in Sindh province now stands at 74. Another 9 patients have recovered & their corona virus test has come negative. Now the total number of recovered patients in Sindh stands at 74. People should learn that isolation or social distancing is the only cure to #COVID?19. These 74 isolated themselves, can you? He said so far, there is no cure for coronavirus, the only way to defeat it is by observing social distancing.
Murtaza Wahab said, “We need to take precautionary measures, such as remaining indoors and not leaving our houses unnecessarily.”
At least four prisoners tested positive for novel coronavirus at Camp Jail in Lahore on Monday, media reported.
The Camp Jail superintended said that as part of precautionary measures, all the prisoners in the jail were screened for COVID-19, adding that four of the inmates’ tests came back positive.
He maintained that one of the patients, whose condition was worsen, have been shifted to Mayo Hospital.
The superintendent said that rest of the three prisoners were quarantined in the jail. He said that a report, in this regard, has been sent to the Punjab chief minister and home secretary.
Earlier in the day, Punjab had reported 18 more cases of novel coronavirus, taking the provincial tally to 1087.
According to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, 26 districts of the province had recorded COVID-19 cases thus far. It had said all confirmed patients were under treatment in isolation wards. They were being provided with all necessary facilities, the department had said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had visited the 1000-bed field hospital set-up in Lahore’s expo centre to facilitate coronavirus patients and suspects.
The premier was accompanied by Federal Minister’s Fawad Chaudhry and Shafqat Mehmood along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
A female doctor at Karachi’s Abbasi Shaheed Hospital has been infected with novel coronavirus, sparking concerns among other medics, paramedics and nurses forced to tend COVID-19 patients without personal protective equipment (PPE), media reported on Saturday.
The hospital administration has allowed the coronavirus-affected medic to get herself admitted in a private hospital for treatment.
Senior director health services Dr Salma Kausar said the health staff discharging duties with the affected doctor have been instructed to self-isolate themselves in their homes for 14 days and take a COVID-19 test.
She said the doctor’s spouse, a healthcare professional at the Civil Hospital, has also been diagnosed with the virus. She said he was performing duties at the Karachi airport where he may have caught the disease while screening passengers.
Dr Salma Kausar said health workers of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) hospitals are being provided with safety kits to protect them from contracting the deadly virus.
Earlier on March 28, a doctor was diagnosed with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) at an Islamabad hospital.
The affected doctor belonged to Gilgit Baltistan and had no foreign travel history. The Islamabad administration had decided to seal the hostel where he had been staying. Medics who had been staying at the hostel were asked to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Saturday reiterated that protection of health professionals from novel coronavirus was the top priority of the government, media reported.
Addressing a press conference, Zafar Mirza said that the personal protective equipments (PPEs) will be provided to those people serving on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19.
He urged the health professionals to promote rational use of the PPEs. The special assistant said that that the government was making all-out efforts to provide maximum relief to the masses.
He urged the people to turn a deaf to rumors and follow the safety instructions issued by the government to protect themselves from the deadly virus.
Earlier on March 15, Young Doctors Association (YDA) had demanded personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers embroiled in the battle against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
YDA members had emphasized that such kits were a necessity given the grave dangers associated with the fast-spreading virus which may become lethal.
The association had asked the government to ensure the availability of PPE kits in every major hospital of the country until the threat of coronavirus subsides.
