F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD / KARACHI: Punjab on Sunday reported its first case of the novel coronavirus after a 54-year-old patient who returned from the United Kingdom on March 10 tested positive in a Lahore hospital, pushing the total number of COVID-19 in Pakistan to 52.
“It is the first #COVID19 case in Punjab so far. All of his close contacts are tested negative but they will be kept in isolation for 15 days as per SOPs,” Punjab government spokesperson Musarrat Cheema confirmed in a tweet.
At least 13 pilgrims, who arrived in Sukkur from Iran, have also tested positive for the contagious disease, raising the tally in Sindh to 35,
“So far 13 people have tested positive of #COVID?19 from amongst the people who arrived in Sukkur from Taaftaan. These people were purportedly kept in quarantine at the border,” Sindh government spokesperson Mutaza Wahab confirmed in a tweet from his official handle.
In another tweet, the provincial spokesperson said that one more case has tested positive of coronavirus in Sindh.
Five new cases of the novel coronavirus were also confirmed earlier in the day – four in Karachi and one in Islamabad.
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) confirmed one case in Islamabad while the Sindh Health Department reported four new patients in Karachi on Sunday.
The latest patient in Islamabad is the husband of the woman who recently travelled to Pakistan from the United States and tested positive on Saturday. The lady is currently in critical condition, receiving treatment at the isolation ward in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
There are now four COVID-19 patients at the isolation ward in PIMS.
In Sindh, one out of the four is locally transmitted while the remaining three returned from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a few days back. The tally for confirmed coronavirus cases in Sindh has now reach 21, out of which two have been discharged after full recovery. The province now has three locally transmitted cases.
Pakistan reported five new COVID-19 cases on Saturday – two in Balochistan, two in Sindh and one in Islamabad. Balochistan now has a total of 10 confirmed cases while Islamabad has four and Gilgit Baltistan has three. Sindh saw its second locally trasnmitted case.
As of mid-March, COVID-19, the deadly respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, has infected 156,00 people globally and killed more than 5,800.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says Europe has become the pandemic’s current epicenter after reporting more cases and deaths than the rest of world combined, apart from China where the coronavirus originated last December.
Action plan to contain outbreak
On Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) to cobble a unified approach to contain the outbreak.
The huddle was attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed provincial chief ministers, top advisors and cabinet members.
It was decided to close borders with Iran and Afghanistan, allow only three airports – Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore – to operate international flights in limited numbers while other airports will see domestic flights, and ban public gatherings.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been tasked to coordinate with provincial governments and lead the fight against novel coronavirus. It was also decided to close all educational institutions until April 5.
In a first, the Pakistan Day parade on March 23 have also been cancelled.
The Sindh government has banned public gatherings, shut down educational institutions, postponed religious celebrations and closed shrines, marriage halls, cinemas, gyms, social clubs etc. Punjab government is said to have made a similar decision.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the education institutions have been closed till April 5 and suspended wedding activities around the province.
Balochistan has also limited activities and closed educational institutions till March end.
